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Comparison of web server software
List article

Web server software allows computers to act as web servers. The first web servers supported only static files, such as HTML (and images), but now they commonly allow embedding of server side applications.

Some web application frameworks include simple HTTP servers. For example the Django framework provides runserver, and PHP has a built-in server. These are generally intended only for use during initial development. A production server will require a more robust HTTP front-end such as one of the servers listed here.

Overview

ServerDeveloped bySoftware licenseLast stable versionLatest release date
AOLserverNaviSoftMozilla4.5.22012-09-19 (discontinued)
Apache HTTP ServerApache Software FoundationApache2.4.632025-01-23
Apache TomcatApache Software FoundationApache10.1.152023-10-16
BoaJon Nelson and Larry DoolittleGNU GPL0.94.132002-07-30 (discontinued)
BusyBox httpdGlenn Engel, Vladimir Oleynik, BusyBox TeamGNU GPL1.36.12023-05-18
CaddyMatt HoltApache2.8.42024-06-02
CaudiumThe Caudium GroupGNU GPL1.4.182012-02-24
CERN httpdCERN, W3C, Tim Berners-Lee, Ari Luotonen and Henrik Frystyk NielsenMIT Copyright Statement with acknowledgement to CERN3.0A1996-07-15

(discontinued)

Cherokee HTTP ServerÁlvaro López OrtegaGNU GPL1.2.1032013-04-21
GlassFishSun Microsystems, Oracle Corporation, since 2019 Eclipse FoundationEclipse Public License & GNU General Public License6.2.52022-02-13
HiawathaHugo LeisinkGNU GPLv211.62024-06-13
HFSRejettoGNU GPL2.3m2018-08-16
IBM HTTP ServerIBMNon-free proprietary9.0.5.172023-09-19
Internet Information ServicesMicrosoftNon-free proprietary10.0.17763.12018-10-02
JettyEclipse FoundationApache12.0.22023-10-10
JexusBing LiuNon-free proprietary6.2.x2020
lighttpdJan Kneschke (Incremental)BSD variant1.4.792025-04-04
LiteSpeed Web ServerLiteSpeed TechnologiesGNU GPLv3 / proprietary license6.1.22023-05-24
MongooseCesanta SoftwareGNU GPLv2 / proprietary license7.172025-02-19
Monkey HTTP ServerMonkey SoftwareApache1.6.92016-06-04
NaviServerVariousMozilla 1.14.99.252023-05-01
NCSA HTTPdRobert McCoolNon-free proprietary1.5.2a1996-10-08 (discontinued)
NginxNGINX, Inc.BSD variant1.26.32025-02-05
OpenBSD httpdReyk FloeterISC7.42023-10-16
OpenLinkVirtuosoOpenLink SoftwareGNU GPL and proprietary versions8.3.33292023-09-01
Oracle HTTP ServerOracle CorporationNon-free proprietary12cR2 (12.2.1.4)12021-02-??2
Oracle iPlanet Web ServerOracle CorporationBSD7.0.272017-10-01
Oracle WebLogic ServerOracle Corporation(formerly BEA Systems)Non-free proprietary14c (14.1.1.0) 32020-03-30
Resin Open SourceCaucho TechnologyGNU GPLv3 / proprietary license4.0.662021-12-08
Resin ProfessionalCaucho TechnologyNon-free proprietary4.0.662021-12-08
thttpdJef Poskanzer for ACME LaboratoriesBSD variant2.292018-05-24
TUX web serverIngo MolnárGNU GPL3.2.6.182006-09-20 (discontinued)
WEBrickRuby CommunityBSD 2-clause1.8.12023-01-27
XitamiiMatix CorporationBSD5.0a02009-02-19 (discontinued)
YawsClaes WikströmBSD 3 clause2.1.12022-02-02
Zeus Web ServerZeus TechnologyNon-free proprietary4.3r52010-01-13 (discontinued)
ZopeZope CorporationZope2.13.302020-02-14
ServerDeveloped bySoftware licenseLast stable versionLatest release date

Features

Some features may be intentionally not included to web server to avoid featuritis. For example:

  • TLS/HTTPS may be enabled with a separate stunnel daemon that terminates TLS and redirects raw HTTP packets to http daemon.
  • NGINX and OpenBSD httpd authors decided not to include CGI interpretation but instead use FastCGI. For OpenBSD was developed a slowcgi gateway.
  • BusyBox httpd doesn't have automatically generated directory listing but it may be implemented as a CGI script
ServerSecurityVirtualhostingDynamic content4Runs in useror kernel spaceAdministration consoleAdditional protocol support
Basic accessauthenti-cationDigest accessauthenti-cationSSL/TLShttpsCGIFCGISCGIWSGIJavaServletsSSIISAPISSJSIPv6HTTP/2QUICHTTP/3
AOLserverYesNoYes5678YesYesNoUn­knownNoNoYesUn­knownUn­knownuserUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­known
Apache HTTP ServerYesYesYes910111213YesYesYesYesYes14No15YesYes16Un­knownuserYes17YesYesNoNo
Apache TomcatYesYesYes1819YesYesNoUn­knownNoYesYesNo20Un­knownuserYesYes21YesUn­knownUn­known
BoaNoNoYes22YesYesNoUn­knownNoNoNoNoNouserUn­knownYesNoNoNo
BusyBox httpdYesNoNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNo23NoNouserNoYesNoNoNo
CaddyYesNoYesYesPartial24YesNoNoNoNo25NoNouserNoYesYesYesYes26
Caucho Resin ServerYesYespaid version27YesYesYesUn­knownNoYesYesNoUn­knownuserYesYesUn­knownUn­knownUn­known
CaudiumYesYesYesYesYesYesUn­knownNoYesYesUn­knownUn­knownuserYesYes28Un­knownUn­knownUn­known
Cherokee HTTP ServerYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesNoUn­knownuserYesYes29Un­knownUn­knownUn­known
HFSYesNoNo30NoNoNoUn­knownNoNoNoUn­knownUn­knownuserUn­knownNoUn­knownUn­knownUn­known
Hiawatha HTTP ServerYesYesYes3132YesYesYesNoNoNoYesNoUn­knownuserYesYesNo33No34No35
IBM HTTP ServerYesYesYesYesYesYesUn­knownNoNoYesNoUn­knownuserYesYesUn­knownUn­knownUn­known
Internet Information ServicesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoNo36YesYesYeskernel and user37YesYesYesUn­knownUn­known
JettyYesYesYesYesYesUn­knownUn­knownNoYesUn­knownUn­knownYesuserUn­knownUn­knownYesUn­knownUn­known
JexusNoNoYesYesNoYesNoNoNoNoNoYesuserYesNoUn­knownUn­knownUn­known
lighttpdYesYesYes3839YesYesYesYesYesNo40YesNoNouserNoYesYesNoNo
LiteSpeed Web ServerYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesNo41YesNoUn­knownuserYesYesYesYesYes42
MongooseYesYesYesYesYesNoNoNoNoYesNoNouserYesYesUn­knownUn­knownUn­known
Monkey HTTP ServerYesNoYes43YesYesYesNoNoNoNoNoNouserNoYesUn­knownUn­knownUn­known
NaviServerYesNoYesYesYesNoUn­knownNoNoYesUn­knownUn­knownuserYesYesUn­knownUn­knownUn­known
NCSA HTTPdYesYesUn­knownPartial44YesUn­knownUn­knownNoNoYesNoNouserNoNoNoNoNo
nginxYesYes (module)YesYesNoYesYesYesNo45YesNoUn­knownuserNoYes46Yes47YesYes
OpenBSD httpdYesNoYesYesNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNouserNoYesNoNoNo
OpenLinkVirtuosoYesYesYesYesNoNoNoNoYesYesNoNouserYesNoNoUn­knownUn­known
Oracle HTTP Server48YesYesYesYesYesYesUn­knownNoNoYesNoUn­knownuserYes49YesUn­knownUn­knownUn­known
Oracle iPlanet Web ServerYesYesYesYesYesYesUn­knownNoYesYesNoYesuserYesYesUn­knownUn­knownUn­known
thttpdYesUn­knownNoYesYesNoUn­knownNoNoNoNoUn­knownuserNoYesUn­knownUn­knownUn­known
TUX web serverNoNoNoYesYesNoUn­knownNoNoNoNoUn­knownkernelUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­known
XitamiYesUn­knownpaid versionYesYesUn­knownUn­knownNoUn­knownYesUn­knownUn­knownuserUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­known
YawsYesUn­knownYesYesYesYesUn­knownNoNoYesNoUn­knownuserUn­knownYesUn­knownUn­knownUn­known
Zeus Web ServerYesYesYesYesYesYesUn­knownNoNo50YesYesUn­knownuserYesNoUn­knownUn­knownUn­known

Operating system support

ServerWindowsLinuxmacOSBSDSolariseComStationOpenVMSAIXIBM iz/OSHP-UX
AOLserverNoYesYesYesYesNoNoUn­knownNoUn­knownUn­known
Apache HTTP ServerYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Apache TomcatYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYes
BoaUn­knownYesYesYesUn­knownNoNoUn­knownNoUn­knownUn­known
BusyBox httpdNo51YesUn­knownYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
CaddyYesYesYesYesYesNoNoUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­known
Caucho Resin ServerYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Caudium52NoYesYesYesYesNoNoYesNoUn­knownUn­known
Cherokee HTTP ServerNo53YesYesYesYesNoNoUn­knownNoUn­knownUn­known
HFSYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
Hiawathawith Cygwin54Yes55Yes56Yes57Yes58NoNoNoNoNoNo
IBM HTTP ServerYesYesNoNoYesNoNoYesYesYesYes
Internet Information ServicesYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
Jetty (Java)YesYesYesYesYesYesNoUn­knownNoYesUn­known
JexusNoYesNoYesUn­knownNoNoNoNoNoNo
lighttpdYes(Cygwin)YesYesYesYesNoNoYesNoNoYes
LiteSpeed Web ServerNoYesYesYesYesNoNoUn­knownNoUn­knownUn­known
MongooseYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoYes
Monkey HTTP ServerNoYesYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
NaviServerYesYesYesYesYesUn­knownUn­knownYesNoUn­knownUn­known
NCSA HTTPdUn­knownYesNoYesYesYesNoUn­knownNoUn­knownYes
nginxYesYesYesYesYesNoNoYesNoNoYes
OpenLinkVirtuosoYesYesYesYesYesNoNoYesNoNoYes
Oracle HTTP ServerYesYesNoUn­knownYesNoNoYesNoUn­knownUn­known
Oracle iPlanet Web ServerYesYesNoNoYesNoNoYesNoNoYes
thttpdYes(Cygwin)YesYesYesYesNoNoUn­knownNoUn­knownUn­known
TUX web serverNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
XitamiYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoUn­knownYes
YawsYesYesYesYesYesNoNoYesNoUn­knownUn­known

See also

References

  1. "Oracle Web Tier Downloads". www.oracle.com. Oracle. Retrieved 11 August 2020. https://www.oracle.com/middleware/technologies/webtier-downloads.html#server3 ↩

  2. "Release Notes for Oracle HTTP Server". Oracle Help Center. Retrieved 2022-10-09. https://docs.oracle.com/en/middleware/fusion-middleware/web-tier/12.2.1.4/releasenotes-ohs/index.html ↩

  3. "Oracle Web Tier Downloads". www.oracle.com. Oracle. Retrieved 11 August 2020. https://www.oracle.com/middleware/technologies/webtier-downloads.html#server3 ↩

  4. The "dynamic content" columns indicate whether the server itself implements the given feature. Other features may be available by delegation (e.g. Apache HTTP Server can delegate to Apache Tomcat for Servlet support). ↩

  5. support for using RSA BSAFE /wiki/RSA_BSAFE ↩

  6. support for using openSSL /wiki/OpenSSL ↩

  7. support for using Network Security Services /wiki/Network_Security_Services ↩

  8. "Nsssl - AOLserver Wiki". Retrieved 2014-07-04. https://panoptic.com/wiki/aolserver/Nsssl ↩

  9. via modules ↩

  10. support for using openSSL /wiki/OpenSSL ↩

  11. "Apache Module mod_ssl". Retrieved 2014-07-04. https://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/mod/mod_ssl.html ↩

  12. support for using GnuTLS /wiki/GnuTLS ↩

  13. "mod_gnutls". Archived from the original on 2018-05-30. Retrieved 2014-07-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20180530180931/https://mod.gnutls.org/ ↩

  14. via modules ↩

  15. This server implements AJP; compatible third-party Servlet containers can be integrated to provide seamless Servlet support. /wiki/Apache_JServ_Protocol ↩

  16. This server can use the mod_isapi module for this support. ↩

  17. via Geronimo /wiki/Apache_Geronimo ↩

  18. support for using Java Secure Socket Extension /wiki/Java_Secure_Socket_Extension ↩

  19. "Apache Tomcat 6.0 - SSL Configuration HOW-TO". Retrieved 2014-07-04. https://tomcat.apache.org/tomcat-6.0-doc/ssl-howto.html ↩

  20. While Tomcat does not implement ISAPI directly, it integrates well with Apache mod_jk which contains an ISAPI module for this purpose. ↩

  21. Requires a JVM and OS that support IPv6. ↩

  22. with external patch ↩

  23. Implemented as CGI script httpd_ssi ↩

  24. CGI implemented for WebSocket connections ↩

  25. Same capabilities as SSI available with templates ↩

  26. The experimental_http3 option "enables experimental draft HTTP/3 support...This option will go away in the future".[7] ↩

  27. support for using openSSL /wiki/OpenSSL ↩

  28. Version 1.4.8 of Caudium mentions IPv6 support but this is not explicitly specified on the official website. Maintainers have been sent a Documentation Update Query; please remove this warning notice when they update their website https://freecode.com/projects/caudium/releases/238766 ↩

  29. "Cherokee Web Server | Man pages cherokee-admin | Cherokee Documentation". cherokee-project.com. https://cherokee-project.com/doc/other_bundle_cherokee-admin.html ↩

  30. "HFS: Secure your server - rejetto wiki". www.rejetto.com. https://www.rejetto.com/wiki/index.php?title=HFS:_Secure_your_server ↩

  31. support for using PolarSSL /wiki/PolarSSL ↩

  32. Leisink, Hugo. "Features - Hiawatha webserver". hiawatha-webserver.org. Retrieved 2014-07-04. https://www.hiawatha-webserver.org/features ↩

  33. "Scaling down the project". www.hiawatha-webserver.com. Retrieved 11 August 2020. https://www.hiawatha-webserver.org/weblog/132 ↩

  34. "Scaling down the project". www.hiawatha-webserver.com. Retrieved 11 August 2020. https://www.hiawatha-webserver.org/weblog/132 ↩

  35. "Scaling down the project". www.hiawatha-webserver.com. Retrieved 11 August 2020. https://www.hiawatha-webserver.org/weblog/132 ↩

  36. Servlet Engines are supported via isapi_redirect. ↩

  37. "States that the HTTP protocol stack http.sys runs in kernel space, while the rest of the software runs in user space". Technet2.microsoft.com. Archived from the original on 2008-04-17. Retrieved 2012-02-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20080417180303/http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/en/library/975bb1da-4bcf-4064-b0c7-723e45106bf51033.mspx?mfr=true ↩

  38. support for using openSSL /wiki/OpenSSL ↩

  39. "Secure HTTP". redmine.lighttpd.net. Retrieved 2014-12-09. https://redmine.lighttpd.net/projects/lighttpd/wiki/Docs_SSL ↩

  40. This server implements AJP; compatible third-party Servlet containers can be integrated to provide seamless Servlet support. /wiki/Apache_JServ_Protocol ↩

  41. This server implements AJP; compatible third-party Servlet containers can be integrated to provide seamless Servlet support. /wiki/Apache_JServ_Protocol ↩

  42. ""LiteSpeed Web Server v5.4 is Here!"". 24 July 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2019. https://blog.litespeedtech.com/2019/07/24/litespeed-web-server-v5-4-is-here/ ↩

  43. support for using PolarSSL /wiki/PolarSSL ↩

  44. Due to lack of support for HTTP/1.1, name based virtual hosts are not fully implemented. ↩

  45. "JavaServers". Wiki.nginx.org. Retrieved 2013-08-15. https://wiki.nginx.org/JavaServers ↩

  46. Ghosh, Soumik (2010-09-05). "Enable IPv6 support". Nginx Library. Retrieved 2013-08-15. https://nginxlibrary.com/enable-ipv6-support/ ↩

  47. "nginx changelog". www.nginx.com. 2015-09-22. https://nginx.org/en/CHANGES ↩

  48. "Feature Overview - 10g R2 (10.1.2)" (PDF). Oracle.com. 2010-09-07. Retrieved 2012-02-28. https://www.oracle.com/technology/products/ias/ohs/htdocs/ohs-10.1.2.0.2-fov_0.pdf ↩

  49. via Enterprise Manager ↩

  50. This server implements AJP; compatible third-party Servlet containers can be integrated to provide seamless Servlet support. /wiki/Apache_JServ_Protocol ↩

  51. "BusyBox on Windows". "The Windows native build is currently broken." https://frippery.org/busybox/ ↩

  52. "Webserver FAQs". Caudium. Archived from the original on 2002-11-14. Retrieved 2012-02-28. https://archive.today/20021114112842/http://caudium.net/server/faqs.rxml ↩

  53. John Poole. "Installation on Windows". cherokee-project.com. Retrieved 2014-11-23. "The Windows native build is currently broken." http://cherokee-project.com/doc/basics_installation_windows.html ↩

  54. Hugo Leisink. "About - Hiawatha webserver". hiawatha-webserver.org. Archived from the original on 2023-06-12. Retrieved 2014-06-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20230612074432/https://www.hiawatha-webserver.org/about ↩

  55. Hugo Leisink. "About - Hiawatha webserver". hiawatha-webserver.org. Archived from the original on 2023-06-12. Retrieved 2014-06-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20230612074432/https://www.hiawatha-webserver.org/about ↩

  56. Hugo Leisink. "About - Hiawatha webserver". hiawatha-webserver.org. Archived from the original on 2023-06-12. Retrieved 2014-06-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20230612074432/https://www.hiawatha-webserver.org/about ↩

  57. Hugo Leisink. "About - Hiawatha webserver". hiawatha-webserver.org. Archived from the original on 2023-06-12. Retrieved 2014-06-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20230612074432/https://www.hiawatha-webserver.org/about ↩

  58. Hugo Leisink. "About - Hiawatha webserver". hiawatha-webserver.org. Archived from the original on 2023-06-12. Retrieved 2014-06-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20230612074432/https://www.hiawatha-webserver.org/about ↩