Uncovering the Best Payara Server Alternatives for Your Java EE Applications
Payara Server is a robust, open-source, cloud-native middleware platform designed for secure and reliable deployments of Java EE (Jakarta EE) applications. With its focus on monthly releases, bug fixes, and a 10-year support lifecycle, Payara Server is a strong contender for production environments. However, while excellent for many, specific project requirements, existing infrastructure, or team preferences might lead you to explore other options. This article dives into the best Payara Server alternatives available, helping you find the perfect fit for your next Java EE project.
Top Payara Server Alternatives
Whether you're seeking a more lightweight server, a different open-source community, or a solution with a particular feature set, these alternatives offer compelling reasons to consider them for your Java EE and web development needs.
Apache Tomcat
Apache Tomcat is an open-source software implementation of the Java Servlet and JavaServer Pages technologies, making it a widely adopted and lightweight alternative to Payara Server. It's a fantastic choice for projects that primarily need a servlet container without the full Jakarta EE stack. Available on Free, Open Source, Mac, Windows, and Linux, it's a versatile web server for Java web development.
Spring
The Spring Framework is an open-source application framework and Inversion of Control container for the Java platform. While not a direct application server like Payara, Spring, particularly Spring Boot, can be used to build self-contained, production-ready applications that embed their own web server (like Tomcat or Jetty), offering a flexible and highly popular alternative for web development and developer tools. It's available on Free, Open Source, Mac, Windows, and Linux.
Jetty
The Jetty Web Server provides a HTTP server and Servlet container capable of serving static and dynamic content, either standalone or embedded. Like Apache Tomcat, Jetty is a more lightweight option compared to a full Jakarta EE server like Payara, making it ideal for microservices and smaller applications where resource efficiency is key. It's free and open source, supporting Mac, Windows, and Linux.
JBoss
JBoss is Red Hat's Java EE-compliant application server, known for its robust features and enterprise-grade capabilities. As an open-source solution (dual-licensed with a community version), JBoss (now WildFly) offers a comprehensive Jakarta EE platform similar to Payara Server, providing a strong alternative for web development on Free, Open Source, Mac, Windows, and Linux.
Glassfish
GlassFish, built by the GlassFish community, was one of the first compatible implementations of the Java EE specification. It shares a common heritage with Payara Server, as Payara originated from GlassFish. This makes GlassFish a highly compatible open-source alternative for deploying Java EE applications on Free, Open Source, Mac, Windows, and Linux, especially if you appreciate the traditional Jakarta EE server architecture.
Oracle Weblogic Server
Oracle WebLogic Server 12c is a leading application server across conventional and cloud environments, offering extreme cloud performance, scalability, and elasticity. While a commercial product unlike the open-source Payara Server, WebLogic is a powerful enterprise-grade alternative for large-scale, mission-critical Java EE deployments, available on Free Personal, Mac, Windows, and Linux.
WebSphere Application Server
IBM WebSphere Application Server provides the availability and security your business depends on while optimizing cost. It's a commercial alternative to Payara Server, favored by enterprises for its robust features, manageability, and integration capabilities for building, deploying, and managing robust and agile Java EE applications. It supports Windows, Linux, and Java Mobile, focusing on web development.
JOnAS
JOnAS is a leading-edge Java EE 5 certified Open Source OSGi Enterprise Server by OW2. Licensed under the LGPL, JOnAS offers another open-source, community-driven alternative for Java EE deployments, similar to Payara Server. It's a solid choice for web development on Free, Open Source, Mac, Windows, and Linux, particularly for those looking for an OSGi-compliant server.
The choice of a Java EE application server or framework heavily depends on your specific project needs, team expertise, and deployment environment. While Payara Server offers a compelling blend of open-source flexibility and enterprise-grade features, exploring these alternatives will help you determine the best fit for optimal performance, scalability, and development experience.