Comparison of web server software

Web server software allows computers to act as web servers. The first web servers supported only static files, such as HTML (and images), but now they commonly allow embedding of server side applications.

Some web application frameworks include simple HTTP servers. For example the Django framework provides runserver, and PHP has a built-in server. These are generally intended only for use during initial development. A production server will require a more robust HTTP front-end such as one of the servers listed here.

Overview

Server	Developed by	Software license	Last stable version	Latest release date
AOLserver	NaviSoft	Mozilla	4.5.2	2012-09-19 (discontinued)
Apache HTTP Server	Apache Software Foundation	Apache	2.4.62	2024-07-17
Apache Tomcat	Apache Software Foundation	Apache	10.1.15	2023-10-16
Boa	Jon Nelson and Larry Doolittle	GNU GPL	0.94.13	2002-07-30 (discontinued)
BusyBox httpd	Glenn Engel, Vladimir Oleynik, BusyBox Team	GNU GPL	1.36.1	2023-05-18
Caddy	Matt Holt	Apache	2.8.4	2024-06-02
Caudium	The Caudium Group	GNU GPL	1.4.18	2012-02-24
CERN httpd	CERN, W3C, Tim Berners-Lee, Ari Luotonen and Henrik Frystyk Nielsen	MIT Copyright Statement with acknowledgement to CERN	3.0A	1996-07-15 (discontinued)
Cherokee HTTP Server	Álvaro López Ortega	GNU GPL	1.2.103	2013-04-21
GlassFish	Sun Microsystems, Oracle Corporation, since 2019 Eclipse Foundation	Eclipse Public License & GNU General Public License	6.2.5	2022-02-13
Hiawatha	Hugo Leisink	GNU GPLv2	11.6	2024-06-13
HFS	Rejetto	GNU GPL	2.3m	2018-08-16
IBM HTTP Server	IBM	Non-free proprietary	9.0.5.17	2023-09-19
Internet Information Services	Microsoft	Non-free proprietary	10.0.17763.1	2018-10-02
Jetty	Eclipse Foundation	Apache	12.0.2	2023-10-10
Jexus	Bing Liu	Non-free proprietary	6.2.x	2020
lighttpd	Jan Kneschke (Incremental)	BSD variant	1.4.76	2024-04-12
LiteSpeed Web Server	LiteSpeed Technologies	GNU GPLv3 / proprietary license	6.1.2	2023-05-24
Mongoose	Cesanta Software	GNU GPLv2 / proprietary license	7.16	2024-11-20
Monkey HTTP Server	Monkey Software	Apache	1.6.9	2016-06-04
NaviServer	Various	Mozilla 1.1	4.99.25	2023-05-01
NCSA HTTPd	Robert McCool	Non-free proprietary	1.5.2a	1996-10-08 (discontinued)
Nginx	NGINX, Inc.	BSD variant	1.25.4	2024-03-14
OpenBSD httpd	Reyk Floeter	ISC	7.4	2023-10-16
OpenLink Virtuoso	OpenLink Software	GNU GPL and proprietary versions	8.3.3329	2023-09-01
Oracle HTTP Server	Oracle Corporation	Non-free proprietary	12cR2 (12.2.1.4) [1]	2021-02-?? [2]
Oracle iPlanet Web Server	Oracle Corporation	BSD	7.0.27	2017-10-01
Oracle WebLogic Server	Oracle Corporation (formerly BEA Systems)	Non-free proprietary	14c (14.1.1.0) [1]	2020-03-30
Resin Open Source	Caucho Technology	GNU GPLv3 / proprietary license	4.0.66	2021-12-08
Resin Professional	Caucho Technology	Non-free proprietary	4.0.66	2021-12-08
thttpd	Jef Poskanzer for ACME Laboratories	BSD variant	2.29	2018-05-24
TUX web server	Ingo Molnár	GNU GPL	3.2.6.18	2006-09-20 (discontinued)
WEBrick	Ruby Community	BSD 2-clause	1.8.1	2023-01-27
Xitami	iMatix Corporation	BSD	5.0a0	2009-02-19 (discontinued)
Yaws	Claes Wikström	BSD 3 clause	2.1.1	2022-02-02
Zeus Web Server	Zeus Technology	Non-free proprietary	4.3r5	2010-01-13 (discontinued)
Zope	Zope Corporation	Zope	2.13.30	2020-02-14
Server	Developed by	Software license	Last stable version	Latest release date

Features

Some features may be intentionally not included to web server to avoid featuritis. For example:

• TLS/HTTPS may be enabled with a separate stunnel daemon that terminates TLS and redirects raw HTTP packets to http daemon.
• NGINX and OpenBSD httpd authors decided not to include CGI interpretation but instead use FastCGI. For OpenBSD was developed a slowcgi gateway.
• BusyBox httpd doesn't have automatically generated directory listing but it may be implemented as a CGI script

Server	Security			Virtual hosting	Dynamic content [a]								Runs in user or kernel space	Administration console	Additional protocol support
	Basic access authenti- cation	Digest access authenti- cation	SSL/TLS https		CGI	FCGI	SCGI	WSGI	Java Servlets	SSI	ISAPI	SSJS			IPv6	HTTP/2	QUIC	HTTP/3
AOLserver	Yes	No	Yes [b] [c] [d] [3]	Yes	Yes	No	Un­known	No	No	Yes	Un­known	Un­known	user	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known
Apache HTTP Server	Yes	Yes	Yes [e] [c] [4] [f] [5]	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes [e]	No [g]	Yes	Yes [h]	Un­known	user	Yes [i]	Yes	Yes	No	No
Apache Tomcat	Yes	Yes	Yes [j] [6]	Yes	Yes	No	Un­known	No	Yes	Yes	No [k]	Un­known	user	Yes	Yes [l]	Yes	Un­known	Un­known
Boa	No	No	Yes [m]	Yes	Yes	No	Un­known	No	No	No	No	No	user	Un­known	Yes	No	No	No
BusyBox httpd	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No [n]	No	No	user	No	Yes	No	No	No
Caddy	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Partial [o]	Yes	No	No	No	No [p]	No	No	user	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes [q]
Caucho Resin Server	Yes	Yes	paid version [c]	Yes	Yes	Yes	Un­known	No	Yes	Yes	No	Un­known	user	Yes	Yes	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known
Caudium	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Un­known	No	Yes	Yes	Un­known	Un­known	user	Yes	Yes [r]	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known
Cherokee HTTP Server	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Un­known	user	Yes	Yes [8]	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known
HFS	Yes	No	No [9]	No	No	No	Un­known	No	No	No	Un­known	Un­known	user	Un­known	No	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known
Hiawatha HTTP Server	Yes	Yes	Yes [s] [10]	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	Un­known	user	Yes	Yes	No [11]	No [11]	No [11]
IBM HTTP Server	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Un­known	No	No	Yes	No	Un­known	user	Yes	Yes	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known
Internet Information Services	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No [t]	Yes	Yes	Yes	kernel and user [12]	Yes	Yes	Yes	Un­known	Un­known
Jetty	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Un­known	Un­known	No	Yes	Un­known	Un­known	Yes	user	Un­known	Un­known	Yes	Un­known	Un­known
Jexus	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	user	Yes	No	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known
lighttpd	Yes	Yes	Yes [c] [13]	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No [g]	Yes	No	No	user	No	Yes	Yes	No	No
LiteSpeed Web Server	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No [g]	Yes	No	Un­known	user	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes [14]
Mongoose	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	user	Yes	Yes	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known
Monkey HTTP Server	Yes	No	Yes [s]	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	user	No	Yes	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known
NaviServer	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Un­known	No	No	Yes	Un­known	Un­known	user	Yes	Yes	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known
NCSA HTTPd	Yes	Yes	Un­known	Partial [u]	Yes	Un­known	Un­known	No	No	Yes	No	No	user	No	No	No	No	No
nginx	Yes	Yes (module)	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No [15]	Yes	No	Un­known	user	No	Yes [16]	Yes [17]	Yes	Yes
OpenBSD httpd	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	user	No	Yes	No	No	No
OpenLink Virtuoso	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	user	Yes	No	No	Un­known	Un­known
Oracle HTTP Server [18]	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Un­known	No	No	Yes	No	Un­known	user	Yes [v]	Yes	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known
Oracle iPlanet Web Server	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Un­known	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	user	Yes	Yes	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known
thttpd	Yes	Un­known	No	Yes	Yes	No	Un­known	No	No	No	No	Un­known	user	No	Yes	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known
TUX web server	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Un­known	No	No	No	No	Un­known	kernel	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known
Xitami	Yes	Un­known	paid version	Yes	Yes	Un­known	Un­known	No	Un­known	Yes	Un­known	Un­known	user	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known
Yaws	Yes	Un­known	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Un­known	No	No	Yes	No	Un­known	user	Un­known	Yes	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known
Zeus Web Server	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Un­known	No	No [g]	Yes	Yes	Un­known	user	Yes	No	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known

1. The "dynamic content" columns indicate whether the server itself implements the given feature. Other features may be available by delegation (e.g. Apache HTTP Server can delegate to Apache Tomcat for Servlet support).
2. support for using RSA BSAFE
3. support for using openSSL
4. support for using Network Security Services
5. via modules
6. support for using GnuTLS
7. This server implements AJP; compatible third-party Servlet containers can be integrated to provide seamless Servlet support.
8. This server can use the mod_isapi module for this support.
9. via Geronimo
10. support for using Java Secure Socket Extension
11. While Tomcat does not implement ISAPI directly, it integrates well with Apache mod_jk which contains an ISAPI module for this purpose.
12. Requires a JVM and OS that support IPv6.
13. with external patch
14. Implemented as CGI script httpd_ssi
15. CGI implemented for WebSocket connections
16. Same capabilities as SSI available with templates
17. The experimental_http3 option "enables experimental draft HTTP/3 support...This option will go away in the future". ^[7]
18. Version 1.4.8 of Caudium mentions IPv6 support but this is not explicitly specified on the official website. Maintainers have been sent a Documentation Update Query; please remove this warning notice when they update their website
19. support for using PolarSSL
20. Servlet Engines are supported via isapi_redirect.
21. Due to lack of support for HTTP/1.1, name based virtual hosts are not fully implemented.
22. via Enterprise Manager

Operating system support

Server	Windows	Linux	macOS	BSD	Solaris	eComStation	OpenVMS	AIX	IBM i	z/OS	HP-UX
AOLserver	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Un­known	No	Un­known	Un­known
Apache HTTP Server	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Apache Tomcat	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Boa	Un­known	Yes	No	Yes	Un­known	No	No	Un­known	No	Un­known	Un­known
BusyBox httpd	No [19]	Yes	Un­known	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Caddy	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known	Un­known
Caucho Resin Server	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Caudium [20]	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Un­known	Un­known
Cherokee HTTP Server	No [21]	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Un­known	No	Un­known	Un­known
HFS	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Hiawatha	with Cygwin [22]	Yes [22]	Yes [22]	Yes [22]	Yes [22]	No	No	No	No	No	No
IBM HTTP Server	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Internet Information Services	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Jetty (Java)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Un­known	No	Yes	Un­known
Jexus	No	Yes	No	Yes	Un­known	No	No	No	No	No	No
lighttpd	Yes (Cygwin)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes
LiteSpeed Web Server	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Un­known	No	Un­known	Un­known
Mongoose	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Monkey HTTP Server	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
NaviServer	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Un­known	Un­known	Yes	No	Un­known	Un­known
NCSA HTTPd	Un­known	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Un­known	No	Un­known	Yes
nginx	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes
OpenLink Virtuoso	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes
Oracle HTTP Server	Yes	Yes	No	Un­known	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Un­known	Un­known
Oracle iPlanet Web Server	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes
thttpd	Yes (Cygwin)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Un­known	No	Un­known	Un­known
TUX web server	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Xitami	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Un­known	Yes
Yaws	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Un­known	Un­known

See also

• Comparison of application servers
• Embedded HTTP server
• Gunicorn (HTTP server)
• Helicon Ape

References

1. "Oracle Web Tier Downloads". www.oracle.com. Oracle. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
2. "Release Notes for Oracle HTTP Server". Oracle Help Center. Retrieved 2022-10-09.
3. "Nsssl - AOLserver Wiki" . Retrieved 2014-07-04.
4. "Apache Module mod_ssl" . Retrieved 2014-07-04.
5. "mod_gnutls". Archived from the original on 2018-05-30. Retrieved 2014-07-04.
6. "Apache Tomcat 6.0 - SSL Configuration HOW-TO" . Retrieved 2014-07-04.
7. "Global options". caddyserver.com. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
8. "Cherokee Web Server | Man pages cherokee-admin | Cherokee Documentation". cherokee-project.com.
9. "HFS: Secure your server - rejetto wiki". www.rejetto.com.
10. Leisink, Hugo. "Features - Hiawatha webserver". hiawatha-webserver.org. Retrieved 2014-07-04.
11. "Scaling down the project". www.hiawatha-webserver.com. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
12. "States that the HTTP protocol stack http.sys runs in kernel space, while the rest of the software runs in user space". Technet2.microsoft.com. Archived from the original on 2008-04-17. Retrieved 2012-02-28.
13. "Secure HTTP". redmine.lighttpd.net. Retrieved 2014-12-09.
14. ""LiteSpeed Web Server v5.4 is Here!"". 24 July 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
15. "JavaServers". Wiki.nginx.org. Retrieved 2013-08-15.
16. Ghosh, Soumik (2010-09-05). "Enable IPv6 support". Nginx Library. Retrieved 2013-08-15.
17. "nginx changelog". www.nginx.com. 2015-09-22.
18. "Feature Overview - 10g R2 (10.1.2)" (PDF). Oracle.com. 2010-09-07. Retrieved 2012-02-28.
19. "BusyBox on Windows". "The Windows native build is currently broken."
20. "Webserver FAQs". Caudium. Archived from the original on 2002-11-14. Retrieved 2012-02-28.
21. John Poole. "Installation on Windows". cherokee-project.com. Retrieved 2014-11-23. "The Windows native build is currently broken."
22. Hugo Leisink. "About - Hiawatha webserver". hiawatha-webserver.org. Archived from the original on 2023-06-12. Retrieved 2014-06-21.

External links

• Netcraft Web Server Survey Archived 2010-05-20 at the Wayback Machine
• Usage Statistics and Market Share of Web Servers for Websites