Servlets

Servlets are Java programs that use the Java Servlet Application Programming Interface (API). You must package servlets in a Web ARchive (WAR) file or Web module for deployment to the appserver. Servlets run on a Java-enabled Web server and extend the capabilities of a Web server, similar to the way applets run on a browser and extend the capabilities of a browser.

Servlets can support dynamic Web page content, provide database access, serve multiple clients at one time, and filter data.

For the purposes of IBM WebSphere Application Server, discussions of servlets focus on Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) servlets, which serve Web-based clients.

Related tasks
Developing servlets with WebSphere Application Server extensions
Related reference
Web applications: Resources for learning