How web server Work?
- Web client sends a request to the web server via an HTTP request.
- Note here there are two scenarios:
- If the data is present for the HTTP request in the static database within the web server then immediately corresponding HTTP response will be sent.
- If data is not present then the web server will send a servlet request for processing to the application server.
- Now it will not look up into static DB rather a web server will send a servlet request to the application server.
- In processing, the application server will look up the application datastore in order to run the servlet and fetch the required information.
- Now it will send back a servlet response to the web server. Hence this built-in response from the web server will be sent to the web client.
Application Server
Application server is specifically designed to run applications (generally invoking extreme computations) that includes both hardware and software to provide an environment to run the applications.
- Usage: Provides environment to run specific applications such as cloud applications and many more and do provides computational power.
- Note: Application server is only required when there is intense computation required which web server can not handle.
Web Server, Proxies and their role in Designing Systems
In system design, web servers and proxies play crucial roles in ensuring efficient communication and scalability. Web servers, like Apache or Nginx, serve as the backbone of client-server interactions, handling requests and delivering content. Proxies act as intermediaries, managing traffic flow, improving performance, and enhancing security by caching and load balancing. Together, they form the core infrastructure of distributed systems. Understanding their roles and integration is fundamental for designing resilient and high-performing systems.
Important Topics for Web Server, Proxies and their role in Designing Systems
- Webservers
- Types of Webservers
- How web server Work?
- Use Cases of web servers
- Examples of Web Servers
- Proxies in Distributed Systems
- Types of Proxies
- Disadvantages of Proxy Server