Java Based CMS Built on Apache Tomcat

The underlying technologies that comprise your CMS ultimately determine what you are able to get out of the system. Many organizations choose to use a Java-based CMS built on an open-source server like Apache Tomcat due to the flexibility and stability it provides.

In this post, we’ll explain why a Java-based server like Tomcat is a vital tool for creating great experiences for your customers. 

Apache Tomcat: What is it?

Apache Tomcat is an open-source implementation of the Java Servlet,  Jakarta Server Pages (formerly known as JavaServer Pages or JSP), Java Expression Language, and Java WebSocket technologies. The application server is primarily designed to execute Java servlets and render web pages that run on Java coding. Tomcat is accessible in both binary and source versions and is developed and maintained by an open community of developers.

Tomcat vs Nginx: Which can run Java?

Nginx is an open-source HTTP web server designed to be used as a reverse proxy, load balancer IMAP/POP3 mail server, and HTTP cache.

It is meant to serve static files that are formatted with HTML. Nginx can also serve other forms of static content such as JSON, XML, images, and audio and video files. The static content uses a message exchange pattern where the client makes a request to the server, which then sends as a response.

Because Nginx is not a servlet container, it cannot run Java on its own. You can, however, use Nginx as a reverse proxy in front of a Java server such as Tomcat.

Tomcat was specifically designed to provide the Java functionality not available through the Apache HTTPS server. The latter can handle both static and dynamic content, but is not equipped to manage Java servlets.

Built to serve Java servlets, Tomcat brings together Java-based technologies, enabling the server to run applications using the Java programming language.

Open-source CMS on Apache Tomcat

The open-source and scalable nature of Java-based CMS platforms make them an attractive option for businesses of all sizes. Java CMS is compatible with any server that can run the Java Virtual Machine (JVM), meaning it can be deployed on both Windows and Linux.

Because Java is so popular, there is a large developer community and plenty of libraries and frameworks available to streamline development. Java-based CMS uses the standards in the Java ecosystem to seamlessly integrate with other components of your marketing technology stack.

jContent provides a great example of an integrated, cloud-based CMS running in an Apache Tomcat servlet container. The browser-based interface is highly configurable, enabling users to easily create both structured and unstructured content. The software also includes a WYSIWYG editor for intuitive rich text editing.

Dynamic Content on Tomcat Server

Dynamic web content is what allows businesses to add variety to their pages. Dynamic pages are server-side and change with each user request. They are controlled by an application server processing server side-scripts. The content is created by using Java language objects within scripting elements.

Java servlets are the essential software that allows a web server to handle dynamic web content. With a Java-based server like Tomcat, businesses can use dynamic content to provide users a more engaging and personalized experience.

Apache Tomcat for Web Applications?

While its main purpose is a Java servlet container, the flexibility of Apache Tomcat allows it to serve as a web application server as well. There are several ways you can deploy a web application on your Tomcat server:

First, you can deploy a web application remotely using the interface provided by the Tomcat manager application. With the manager application, you can deploy a web application by supplying a directory on the server or uploading a WAR file.

The manager allows you to view a list of applications deployed on the server as well as start, stop, or restart a single application. You can also access a web application by typing its context path along with any port number. For example, http://localhost:8080/applicationname.

Another way to deploy a web application on your Tomcat server is to copy the web application archive file (.war) and upload it directly to the server. You can easily create the WAR file using an integrated development environment (IDE) and then copy the file to the appropriate directory. After that, you simply need to restart the server, and Tomcat will unpack the file and launch the application.

Get started with Jahia on Apache Tomcat

The reliability and stability of the Java language have made it the go-to choice for companies looking to get the most out of their CMS. With a CMS like jContent, built on Tomcat, you can easily create and manage all types of content, including dynamic content.

Jahia allows you to extend this functionality by building content-based applications that share a content store as a backend to power any unique use case.