Overview

Flask

Stacks19.3K

Followers16.2K

Votes60

Apache Tomcat

Stacks16.8K

Followers12.6K

Votes201

GitHub Stars8.0K

Forks5.3K

Apache Tomcat vs Flask: What are the differences?

Introduction

Apache Tomcat and Flask are two popular web frameworks used for developing and deploying web applications. While both serve a similar purpose, they differ in several key aspects. In this article, we will explore the key differences between Apache Tomcat and Flask.

Server vs. Microframework: The first major difference between Apache Tomcat and Flask is the level of their functionality. Apache Tomcat is a full-fledged web server and servlet container, designed to support Java-based web applications. On the other hand, Flask is a microframework written in Python, providing the basic functionalities required for web development, such as routing and request handling. Unlike Tomcat, Flask does not function as a standalone server and needs to be deployed on a separate server.
Language Support: Another significant difference between Apache Tomcat and Flask is the programming language they support. Apache Tomcat primarily supports Java-based applications and is optimized for running Java servlets. In contrast, Flask is specifically designed for Python-based web development. This means that if you are familiar with Java, Apache Tomcat would be a better choice, whereas Flask is the preferred option for developers who prefer working with Python.
Scalability and Performance: When it comes to scalability and performance, Apache Tomcat has an advantage over Flask due to its server-centric nature. Apache Tomcat is optimized for handling large-scale enterprise-level applications, providing robust performance and scalability features out of the box. Flask, being a lightweight microframework, may struggle to handle high levels of traffic and scale up to the same extent as Tomcat. However, Flask can also be used in conjunction with other tools and technologies to enhance its scalability and performance.
Application Architecture: Apache Tomcat follows a more traditional monolithic architecture, where the entire application is usually packaged as a single deployable unit. This unit can be easily deployed and managed within the Tomcat server. In contrast, Flask promotes a more flexible and modular approach to application development. Flask allows developers to build applications using different modules or components, facilitating better code organization, reuse, and maintainability.
Community and Ecosystem: Both Apache Tomcat and Flask have active and vibrant developer communities, offering a wide range of resources and support. However, due to its broader scope and popularity, Apache Tomcat has a larger ecosystem with numerous plugins, libraries, and extensions available for developers. Flask, being a microframework, has a more focused community and ecosystem, but still provides a good number of extensions and integrations to enhance the development experience.
Learning Curve: Lastly, the learning curve for Apache Tomcat and Flask can also be a differentiating factor. Apache Tomcat is known for its steep learning curve, especially for beginners with limited experience in Java web development. On the other hand, Flask is relatively easier to learn and get started with, especially for Python developers. The simplicity and minimalism of Flask make it an attractive choice for rapid prototyping and small to medium-sized projects.

In summary, Apache Tomcat is a powerful and feature-rich server container for Java-based web applications, offering scalability and performance advantages. Flask, on the other hand, is a lightweight microframework specifically designed for Python developers, providing a flexible and modular approach to web development. Choosing between Apache Tomcat and Flask depends on the application requirements, programming language preference, and scalability needs.

Advice on Flask, Apache Tomcat

Kristan Eres

Senior Solutions Analyst

Jul 30, 2020

Needs adviceon

Django

Python

Flask

My journey to developing REST APIs started with Flask Restful, and I've found it to be enough for the needs of my project back then. Now that I've started investing more time on personal projects, I've yet to decide if I should move to use Django for writing REST APIs. I often see job posts looking for Python+Django developers, but it's usually for full-stack developers. I'm primarily interested in Data Engineering, so most of my web projects are back end.

Should I continue with what I know (Flask) or move on to Django?

391k views391k

Comments

Hari

Mar 3, 2020

Needs advice

I was in a situation where I have to configure 40 RHEL servers 20 each for Apache HTTP Server and Tomcat server. My task was to 1. configure LVM with required logical volumes, format and mount for HTTP and Tomcat servers accordingly. 2. Install apache and tomcat. 3. Generate and apply selfsigned certs to http server. 4. Modify default ports on Tomcat to different ports. 5. Create users on RHEL for application support team. 6. other administrative tasks like, start, stop and restart HTTP and Tomcat services.

I have utilized the power of ansible for all these tasks, which made it easy and manageable.

419k views419k

Comments

Saurav

Application Devloper at Bny Mellon

Mar 27, 2020

Needs advice

I have just started learning Python 3 weeks ago. I want to create a REST API using python. The API will be used to save form data in an Oracle database. The front end is using AngularJS 8 with Angular Material. In python, there are so many frameworks to develop REST APIs.

I am looking for some suggestions which REST framework to choose?

Here are some features I am looking for:

Easy integration and unit testing, like in Angular. We just want to run a command.
Code packaging, like in java maven project we can build and package. I am looking for something which I can push in as an artifact and deploy whole code as a package.
Support for swagger/ OpenAPI
Support for JSON Web Token
Support for test case coverage report

Framework can have features included or can be available by extension. Also, you can suggest a framework other than the ones I have mentioned.

337k views337k

Comments

Detailed Comparison

Flask	Apache Tomcat
Flask is intended for getting started very quickly and was developed with best intentions in mind.	Apache Tomcat powers numerous large-scale, mission-critical web applications across a diverse range of industries and organizations.
Statistics
GitHub Stars -	GitHub Stars 8.0K
GitHub Forks -	GitHub Forks 5.3K
Stacks 19.3K	Stacks 16.8K
Followers 16.2K	Followers 12.6K
Votes 60	Votes 201
Pros & Cons
Pros 10 For it flexibility 9 Flexibilty and easy to use 7 User friendly 6 Secured 5 Unopinionated Cons 10 Not JS 7 Context 5 Not fast 1 Don't has many module as in spring	Pros 79 Easy 72 Java 49 Popular 1 Spring web Cons 3 Blocking - each http request block a thread 2 Easy to set up

What are some alternatives to Flask, Apache Tomcat?

NGINX

nginx [engine x] is an HTTP and reverse proxy server, as well as a mail proxy server, written by Igor Sysoev. According to Netcraft nginx served or proxied 30.46% of the top million busiest sites in Jan 2018.

ExpressJS

Express is a minimal and flexible node.js web application framework, providing a robust set of features for building single and multi-page, and hybrid web applications.

Apache HTTP Server

The Apache HTTP Server is a powerful and flexible HTTP/1.1 compliant web server. Originally designed as a replacement for the NCSA HTTP Server, it has grown to be the most popular web server on the Internet.

Django REST framework

It is a powerful and flexible toolkit that makes it easy to build Web APIs.

Sails.js

Sails is designed to mimic the MVC pattern of frameworks like Ruby on Rails, but with support for the requirements of modern apps: data-driven APIs with scalable, service-oriented architecture.

Unicorn

Unicorn is an HTTP server for Rack applications designed to only serve fast clients on low-latency, high-bandwidth connections and take advantage of features in Unix/Unix-like kernels. Slow clients should only be served by placing a reverse proxy capable of fully buffering both the the request and response in between Unicorn and slow clients.

Microsoft IIS

Internet Information Services (IIS) for Windows Server is a flexible, secure and manageable Web server for hosting anything on the Web. From media streaming to web applications, IIS's scalable and open architecture is ready to handle the most demanding tasks.

Sinatra

Sinatra is a DSL for quickly creating web applications in Ruby with minimal effort.

Passenger

Phusion Passenger is a web server and application server, designed to be fast, robust and lightweight. It takes a lot of complexity out of deploying web apps, adds powerful enterprise-grade features that are useful in production, and makes administration much easier and less complex.

Lumen

Laravel Lumen is a stunningly fast PHP micro-framework for building web applications with expressive, elegant syntax. We believe development must be an enjoyable, creative experience to be truly fulfilling. Lumen attempts to take the pain out of development by easing common tasks used in the majority of web projects, such as routing, database abstraction, queueing, and caching.