What is the difference between Java servlets and JSP?

Java Servlets and JavaServer Pages (JSP) are both technologies used for developing web applications in Java, but they serve different purposes and are often used together. Here are the key differences between Java Servlets and JSP: Purpose: Servlets: Servlets are Java classes that run on the server side and handle HTTP requests and responses. They are responsible for processing business logic, interacting with databases, and generating dynamic content for the web application. JSP: JSP is a templating technology that allows embedding Java code directly into HTML pages. JSP pages are designed to simplify the process of developing dynamic web pages by providing a way to mix Java code with HTML. JSPs are often used for the presentation layer in web applications. Syntax: Servlets: Servlets use Java code for both request processing and response generation. HTML content is often generated using Java code within the servlet. JSP: JSP allows developers to embed Java code directly into HTML using special tags such as <% %> for scriptlets, <%= %> for expressions, and <%@ %> for directives. This separation of Java code from HTML makes the code more readable and maintainable. Development Approach: Servlets: Servlets follow a more programmatic approach, where Java code is explicitly written to handle the request and generate the response. Developers need to manage the HTML content generation within the Java code. JSP: JSP follows a more declarative approach, where Java code is embedded within the HTML markup. This allows for a more natural separation of concerns, making it easier for web designers to work on the HTML part and developers to focus on the Java logic. Role in MVC Architecture: Servlets: Servlets are often used as controllers in a Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture. They handle the business logic and interact with the model to update data. JSP: JSP pages are typically used as the view in an MVC architecture. They focus on presenting the data to the user and can include Java code to dynamically generate content based on the model. File Type: Servlets: Servlets are Java classes with a .java extension. They are compiled into bytecode and run on the server. JSP: JSP pages have a .jsp extension and are a combination of HTML and Java code. They are translated into servlets during the first request and then compiled into bytecode. Usability: Servlets: Servlets can be more complex for web designers to work with, as they involve mixing Java code with HTML in a single file. JSP: JSP is often considered more user-friendly for web designers because it allows them to focus on the HTML part, and the Java code is embedded using special tags. Session Management: Servlets: Servlets can handle session management, allowing developers to maintain user state across multiple requests. JSP: JSP pages can also work with session management, and the integration with JavaBeans simplifies the handling of session attributes. In practice, servlets and JSPs are often used together in Java web applications. Servlets handle the business logic and interact with the model, while JSPs handle the presentation of data to the user. This separation of concerns enhances maintainability and collaboration between developers and designers. Additionally, frameworks like JavaServer Faces (JSF) provide a higher-level abstraction that builds on servlets and JSPs to further simplify web development. read less