Next Previous Contents

18. Web-Application-Servers for PostgreSQL

Several Web-Application-Servers work with PostgreSQL both open-source and commercial versions. The popular open-source Web-Application-Servers are Perl based Application Servers like Mason, WIRM, Velocigen, Enhydra(Java) and Zope(Python) and commercial Web-Application-Servers are IBM Websphere, BEA Weblogic.

It is recommeded that you use secure web server like Apache + mod_ssl + OpenSSL. See Redhat StrongHold secure server at http://www.c2.net/products/sh3.

Web Application Servers can be classified according to the programming language which they support. You must choose a Web Application server based on the programming language which you like the most.

Classifications of Web Application servers are:

18.1 PERL Web Application Servers

Perl language has a very long life just like "C" language, and Perl will be in use for a long time in the future! Perl runs 3 times faster than Java for some operations (but Java runs faster than perl for some operations). Java is a very complex system with virtual machine and interpreter which makes it extremely slow, unstable and unreliable. Perl is very simple, fast and object oriented.

Also Perl programs can be easily compiled for even better performance. Use Perl2Exe which is a command line utility for converting perl scripts to executable files http://www.indigostar.com/perl2exe.htm

The following Web Applicaiton servers are available for PERL

Commercial Web Application Servers for Perl:

18.2 PHP Web Application Servers

The following Web Applicaiton servers are available for PHP

18.3 Lutris Corp "Enhydra Enterprise" (Java)

Enhydra supports PostgreSQL database. Enhydra is an immensely popular Java/XML/J2EE Web-Application-Server created by 'Lutris Corporation'. It is the world's best Java/XML/J2EE Web-Application server. It supports EJB, Servlets, JSP, JNDI, JDBC, JTA, CORBA, XMLC/Rocks, DODS and internationalization. It is used by many large fortune 500 companies in US and Europe. Companies like "French Telecom" are directly sponsoring the Enhydra. It is written in 100% pure Java and is available from http://www.enhydra.org. Enhydra is an open source code project but is commercially sold and supported by Lutris Corp. Visit http://www.lutris.com

See tutorial on setting up the PostgreSQL with Enhydra and see also Setup database with Enhydra.

You would use Borland Corp's JBuilder along with Enhydra. JBuilder is at http://www.inprise.com

See also Enterprise Java HOWTO at http://www.linuxdoc.org/HOWTO/Enterprise-Java-for-Linux-HOWTO.html

18.4 Zope (Python)

Python is becoming immensely popular "pure" object-oriented scripting language. Zope is a Web-Application server and provides interfaces to PostgreSQL. Zope is available at http://www.zope.org Python is at http://www.python.org

18.5 OpenACS (Tcl Language)

OpenACS (Open ArsDigita Community System) http://openacs.org is an advanced toolkit for building scalable, community-oriented web applications. It relies on AOLserver, a web/application server, and PostgreSQL, a true ACID-compliant RDBMS. These are two high-quality products available for free under open-source licenses.

ACS is created by ArsDigita, http://www.arsdigita.com, their ACS (ArsDigita Community System) attempts to be as DB independent as possible, though it is based on Oracle (hence Open ACS have to take time out to port it).

See also http://www.appserver-zone.com

18.6 C++, CORBA Web Application Servers

18.7 Pike, Roxen Web Application Server

Pike is a dynamic programming language with a syntax similar to C++. It is simple to learn, does not require long compilation passes and has powerful built-in data types allowing simple and fast data manipulation. Pike is released under the GNU/GPL general public license.

Pike is a very powerful object oriented scripting language and since it's syntax is identical to C++ it is expected that it's popularity will explode in coming years.

Pike is at http://pike.roxen.com and Roxen web server is at http://www.roxen.com.

Roxen is a modular web server that has a complete DB interface, and includes Postgres support. It has full support for SSL, and is released under the GPL. Roxen is written using Pike scripting language.

18.8 Web Application Servers Directory

Visit Web Application Servers directory which has "Yellow Pages".


Next Previous Contents