APPLICATION DESIGN

Including Java servlets in Web applications
A servlet is a Java program that is run by the IBM® Lotus® Domino(TM) Web server in response to a browser request. Servlets provide a convenient way to add powerful functionality to your Web application. In some ways, servlets act like CGI programs, but they are more tightly integrated with the server and can take advantage of special Java classes. For example, a servlet may connect to a relational database or enterprise system and get data in response to a Web browser request.

Domino supports both Java servlets and Java applets for Web applications. The most important difference between these types of Java programs is how they are run. Servlets are "server-side" programs; a servlet's Java class is loaded and run entirely within the Domino server and the result from the servlet, usually a page of HTML, is returned to the browser. In contrast, applets are "client-side" programs; an applet's Java class is downloaded to the browser and is run by the browser. Therefore, applets require Java support in the browser, but servlets do not.

Servlets for Domino must conform to the Java Servlet API Specification, an open standard published by Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Running a servlet in Domino involves writing the servlet, enabling servlet support in Domino, and, if necessary, setting servlet properties.

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