I want to use my Java classes as Servlets on my web site; I know the above are something to do with it, but I'm confused about all the buzzwords. Can you explain?

* Apache is "The Apache Software Foundation" - an umbrella organisation that looks after a number of Open Source projects.

*Jakarta is the group name for the Java based projects of the Apache Software foundation

* Tomcat is a Web Server that handles server side Java (in the form of Servlets and JSPs), and it's a part of the Apache Jakarta project group. Tomcat is the "reference" implementation of the Servlet and JSP standards - in other words, if it runs under Tomcat, it should run under any compliant Servlet / JSP container

* Catalina is the Java Engine (JRE / JVM) that's built into Tomcat and provides an environment in which Servlets can be run

* Coyote is the HTTP connector that's built into Tomcat and provides Tomcat with an interface that browsers can connect to.

* Jasper is the Java Server pages handler in Tomcat; internally, it deals with any compiling that's neccessary, and converts JSPs into Servlets for Catalina to handle.

There are sections in our training manuals which cover how all the various parts of a web server go together, and the various parts of Tomcat and the names of the elements.  Links:
=> Java Applications - Deployment on the Web
=> Tomcat Overview

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