Web servers

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What is a Web Server (quick context)

A web server’s job is to receive HTTP/HTTPS requests, process them (directly or via an application), and return responses like HTML, JSON, images, etc.

In real projects, the choice of web server depends on:

• Traffic volume

• Static vs dynamic content

• Performance & concurrency

• Ease of configuration

• Integration with apps and cloud platforms

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1. Apache HTTP Server

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Overview

Apache is one of the oldest and most widely used web servers. It’s extremely flexible and module-based.

Key Features

• Supports modules (mod_rewrite, mod_ssl, mod_proxy, etc.)

• .htaccess for directory-level config

• Supports PHP, Python, Perl easily

• Strong community support

Pros

• Easy to configure

• Great for shared hosting

• Mature and stable

Cons

• Process-based model → higher memory usage

• Not ideal for very high concurrency

Real-Time Usage

I’ve used Apache mainly for legacy applications, internal tools, and PHP-based apps where flexibility was more important than raw performance.

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2. Nginx

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Overview

Nginx is a high-performance, event-driven web server commonly used as a reverse proxy and load balancer.

Key Features

• Event-driven, non-blocking architecture

• Excellent for static content

• Built-in reverse proxy & load balancing

• Low memory footprint

Pros

• Handles high concurrency

• Faster than Apache for static content

• Ideal for microservices architectures

Cons

• No .htaccess

• Configuration is less forgiving for beginners

Real-Time Usage

In most production environments, I’ve used Nginx in front of applications like Node.js, Java, or Python apps, and as an Ingress controller in Kubernetes.

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3. Microsoft IIS

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Overview

IIS is Microsoft’s web server designed mainly for Windows-based applications.

Key Features

• Native support for ASP.NET and .NET Core

• GUI-based management

• Tight integration with Windows services

Pros

• Best for .NET applications

• Good security integration (Active Directory)

• Easy GUI-based management

Cons

• Windows-only

• Licensing cost

• Less flexible compared to Linux-based servers

Real-Time Usage

I’ve seen IIS mostly in enterprise environments running legacy ASP.NET apps hosted on Windows VMs.

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4. LiteSpeed

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Overview

LiteSpeed is a commercial high-performance server, often used as a drop-in replacement for Apache.

Key Features

• Apache-compatible configs

• Built-in caching (LSCache)

• Excellent WordPress performance

Pros

• Faster than Apache

• Lower CPU & memory usage

• Minimal migration effort

Cons

• Paid license

• Smaller ecosystem

Real-Time Usage

Commonly used by hosting providers for WordPress-heavy workloads.

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5. Caddy

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Overview

Caddy is a modern, developer-friendly web server with automatic HTTPS.

Key Features

• Automatic TLS (Let’s Encrypt)

• Simple configuration (Caddyfile)

• Built-in reverse proxy

Pros

• Extremely easy to set up

• Secure by default

• Good for small services

Cons

• Less mature than Nginx

• Smaller community

Real-Time Usage

Useful for POCs, internal tools, and quick deployments where simplicity matters.

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6. Application Servers (Used with Web Servers)

These are not traditional web servers, but often serve traffic directly.

Examples

• Tomcat – Java applications

• Gunicorn – Python apps

• Node.js – JavaScript backend

Real-Time Pattern

In production, I usually place Nginx in front of these servers to handle SSL, caching, and load balancing.

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Comparison Summary

Server	Best For	Performance	Typical Use
Apache	Flexibility	Medium	Legacy & shared hosting
Nginx	High traffic	Very High	Reverse proxy, microservices
IIS	Windows apps	Medium	ASP.NET apps
LiteSpeed	Hosting	High	WordPress hosting
Caddy	Simplicity	Medium–High	Quick deployments

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