What is the difference between JSP and Servlets?

Answer 1

A JSP is typically oriented more towards displaying information, and a servlet is more oriented towards processing information. For example, a JSP might display a report, while a servlet would process a user submitted form. These uses are not exclusive, but they are optimized more for performing tasks in this manner. It is much easier to incorporate HTML coding into a JSP than a Servlet. It is also easier to write more complex Java code in a servlet.

AnswerJSP has Implicit objects and Servlets do not. AnswerJSP and Servlet both define the server end functionality to provide dynamic outputs ,As we know our HTML is only the client end technology version which runs on client browser. JSP and Servlet differ each other in terms of represntation and execution cycle. Servlet are full functional java codes that define the output like write to stream files in protocol defined ways, JSP on the other hand is Role Sepated format to do so where a ordinary web designer designes how will be the presentation of the data and Programmer defines the functinality to provide the underlying things represented in conditional and non conditinal ways , But here is the magic of JSp that merges the both HTML represntation mixed with JAVA scriptlets.

Look at http://www.jsptube.com/jsp-tutorials/jsp-introduction.html, it explains how does JSP differs from servlet.

Answer 2

Key differences: Implementation. Servlet is developed on Java language. JSP is primarily written in HTML language although Java code could also be written on it but for it, JSTL or other language is required.

MVC: In contrast to MVC we can state servlet as a controller which receives the request process and send back the response. On the other hand, JSP plays the role of view to render the response returned by the servlet.

Request type: Servlets can accept and process all type of protocol requests. JSP on the other hand is compatible with HTTP request only.

Session Management: In Servlet by default session management is not enabled, the user has to enable it explicitly. In JSP session management is automatically enabled.

Performance: Servlet is faster than JSP. JSP is slower than Servlet because first the translation of JSP to java code is taking place and then compiles.

Modification reflected: Modification in Servlet is a time-consuming task because it includes reloading, recompiling and restarting the server as we made any change in our code to get reflected. On the other hands JSP modification is fast as just need to click the refresh button and code change would get reflected.