The spelling of the word "servlet" can be a bit confusing, but it actually follows the phonetic rules of the English language. The correct IPA phonetic transcription is /ˈsɜː.vl.ət/. The "s" sound at the beginning is followed by the "er" pronunciation, hence the "sir" sound. The "v" sound is pronounced with the lips lightly touching, and the "l" sound is blended into the "v" sound. Finally, the word ends with the short "ə" sound, which is common in many English words.
A servlet is a Java-based programming component utilized in web applications to generate dynamic content and manage the server-side processing. Acting as an intermediary between the web server and a back-end database or other external resources, a servlet receives and responds to HTTP requests. It extends the capabilities of a web server, enabling dynamic page generation, user interaction, and database access.
Servlets reside on the server-side and are responsible for processing client requests and generating responses accordingly. They handle HTTP methods such as GET and POST, allowing effective communication between web browsers and server systems. Servlets are platform-independent as they run within a Java Virtual Machine (JVM), providing reliability and maintainability across different operating systems.
Servlets employ the Java Servlet API, a standalone module within Java Enterprise Edition (Java EE). This API includes a set of classes and interfaces that define the responsibilities and behaviors of servlets and facilitates interactions with the underlying web server. Servlets can perform tasks like gathering user input, querying databases, generating dynamic HTML or XML pages, and managing state information, bringing interactive functionality to web applications.
In summary, a servlet is a Java-based server-side component that facilitates dynamic content creation and manages the communication between web servers and clients. It plays a crucial role in enhancing web application functionality, enabling interactions, and integrating database access.
The word "servlet" is a combination of "server" and "applet". It was coined by John Gage, an American computer scientist and co-founder of Sun Microsystems, in the mid-1990s. Gage used this term to describe a Java-based technology for dynamically generating HTML pages on the server-side. Initially, Java applets were used mainly for client-side web development, so Gage's new term served to differentiate this server-side technology from the applets. Over time, the term "servlet" became widely adopted and refers to a small program running on a web server that receives and responds to requests from clients.