Servlets are the unsung heroes of Java web development. They provide a powerful mechanism for dynamically handling HTTP requests and crafting responses. In this guide, we‘ll unpack what servlets are, how they operate, their advantages and drawbacks, and recommendations for using them effectively in your applications.
What Exactly Are Servlets?
Let‘s start simple – servlets are Java classes that receive and respond to requests over HTTP. They are hosted within a servlet container (like Tomcat or Jetty) that handles the lifecycle of servlet instances.
When a client sends a request to the server, the container routes it to the appropriate servlet. The servlet then processes the request, generates a response (usually HTML/JSON/XML), and sends it back to the client.
This allows servlets to handle the presentation logic and controller responsibilities in the classic MVC architecture. Meanwhile, technologies like JSPs and Thymeleaf handle the view layer.
Servlets handle the controller responsibilities in web MVC architecture
Now that we‘ve covered the basics, let‘s dig deeper into servlets – how they operate, their pros and cons, and best practices around using them.
Understanding the Servlet Lifecycle
Servlets have a defined lifecycle for initialization, handling requests, generating responses, and eventually being destroyed when no longer needed. Let‘s walk through what happens at each phase:
1. Initialization
This kicks off when the servlet gets loaded by the container. The init() method gets called, allowing one-time configuration to occur like:
- Opening database/network connections
- Loading configuration/resources
- Initializing caches
Any exceptions here prevents the servlet from becoming operational.
2. Request Handling
Once initialized, the servlet can handle client requests using methods like:
- doGet – Handle GET requests
- doPost – Handle POST requests
- doPut – Handle PUT requests
- doDelete – Handle DELETE requests
The servlet receives request parameters, headers, etc. allowing it to process requests.
3. Request Processing
The actual business logic for the request occurs here. Common tasks include:
- Validating/sanitizing input parameters
- Calling out to databases & other services
- Computing derived data
- Rendering a view template
The complexity here depends on the application needs.
4. Response Generation
Next the servlet generates an appropriate response for the request. The response payload can be in formats like:
- HTML – For browser clients
- JSON – For API clients
- XML – For legacy systems
Headers are also set indicating the content type, encoding, cookies etc.
5. Destruction
Finally when the servlet is no longer needed, the container calls the destroy() method allowing resource cleanup like:
- Closing database connections
- Flushing/closing file handles
- Nullifying cache references
This safeguards resources and avoids memory leaks.
Understanding these lifecycle methods provides great insight into how servlets function "under the hood". Next let‘s analyze the pros and cons.
Benefits of Using Servlets
Servlets have stood the test of time due to compelling advantages:
Portability – Write once, run anywhere. Servlets are authored in Java and thus run consistently on any platform with the JVM.
Efficient – Servlets have a small memory footprint (~5MB) and utilize event-driven, non-blocking IO for high throughput.
Scalable – Container leverages techniques like connection pooling and threading for concurrent requests.
Secure – Java security manager and type safety prevents exploits compared to other languages.
Powerful – Direct access to full spectrum of Java libraries for tasks like I/O, compression, databases etc.
Mature Ecosystem – Abundant tooling, documentation and support available given Java‘s 20+ year history.
Servlets unlocked the power of Java for web development in a performant and scalable manner.
Drawbacks of Servlets
However servlets also come with some notable drawbacks:
Code complexity – Lots of HTTP plumbing code for handling requests/responses. Runtime exceptions need robust handling.
Concern separation – The single servlet class often handles everything from input validation to database calls to view rendering. Violates separation of concerns without proper architecture.
Asynchronous difficulties – Multi-threaded code is inherently complex and error-prone. Servlets don‘t directly support async/non-blocking.
Beginner barriers – Steep learning curve around Java, OOP, generics, classpath management, exception handling and multi-threading.
So in summary, while servlets are powerful, they can result in complex and disorganized code without proper architectural principles.
Best Practices for Effectiveness
Here are some recommendations for using servlets effectively:
- Follow MVC principles for concern separation
- Use facade/delegate patterns to simplify servlets
- Implement transfer objects for client communication
- Utilize template systems like JSPs for view rendering
- Leverage frameworks like Spring MVC for easier testing, configuration & component reuse
Common Use Cases
Beyond traditional web apps, servlets enables technologies like:
- REST APIs – Serializing POJOs to JSON for API usage
- WebSockets – Push events to web and mobile clients
- Streaming – Efficiently stream files/media to browsers
- Messaging – Integrate with asynchronous JMS and AMQP messaging
Pretty much any use case requiring scalable, dynamic Java request processing can benefit from servlets. They continue to be a cornerstone of Java in production systems.
So in summary, by understanding servlets in depth – their purpose, lifecycle, pros/cons and effective practices – you‘ll be well equipped to leverage their capabilities in your work. They remain a versatile tool for the enterprising Java developer.
