What is the Difference Between Applets and Servlets?

Applets and servlets are both Java programs used in web applications, but they have distinct differences in terms of their execution environment, functionality, and security. Here are the key differences between applets and servlets:

1. Execution Environment:

• Applets are executed on the client-side, meaning they run within a web browser on the client machine.
• Servlets are executed on the server-side, running on the web server.

1. Functionality:

• Applets are used to provide interactive features to web applications that cannot be provided by HTML, such as animations, calculations, and user input processing.
• Servlets are used to extend the capabilities of a server, enabling dynamic web content generation and handling user requests.

1. Network Bandwidth:

• Applets utilize more network bandwidth as they execute on the client machine.
• Servlets require less network bandwidth as they execute on the server.

1. Security:

• Applets are more prone to security risks due to their execution on the client machine.
• Servlets are more secure as their execution is under server security.

1. Parent Packages:

• The parent packages for applets include java.applet.* and java.awt.*.
• The parent packages for servlets include javax.servlet.* and java.servlet.http.*.

1. Lifecycle Methods:

• Important methods for applets include init(), stop(), paint(), start(), and destroy().
• The lifecycle methods for servlets are init( ), service( ), and destroy( ).

In summary, applets are used for providing interactive features on the client-side, while servlets are used for server-side processing and handling user requests. Applets require a Java-compatible browser for execution and are more prone to security risks, whereas servlets are more secure and executed on the server.

Comparative Table: Applets vs Servlets

Here is a table highlighting the differences between Applets and Servlets:

In summary, Applets are client-side Java programs that run within a web browser and provide interactive features to web applications, while Servlets are server-side components that run on the web page hosted by the server and are used to extend the capabilities of a server.