JSP stands for Jakarta Server Pages (formerly JavaServer Pages). It is a programming tool that is used on the Application Server Side to create dynamic web pages. JSP basically used to support Platform–Independent and Dynamic methods to build web-dependent applications based on HTML, XML, SOAP, etc. JSP allows developers to embed Java code as well as pre-defined tags. JSP pages are like ASP (Active Server Pages) in that they are compiled on the server, instead of the user’s web browser.
Note: In JSP, Java code can be embedded with special tags enclosed in “<% %>” or “<%= %>”
JSP was developed by Sun Microsystems Company in 1999. For the development of the JSP, languages are used all the functions built into it have been created in the Java programming language.
Characteristics of JSP
- JSP is an extended version of Servlet Technology.
- JSP technology is similar to the Servlet application program interface(API).
- It Provides some Additional features Such as expression language and Custom tags etc.
- A JSP file is much easier to deploy because the JSP engine performs the recompilation for the Java code automatically.
Advantages of JSP
- Extension to Servlet: JSP Extension of Servlet. We can use all the features of Servlet in JSP. we can use Implicit objects, Predefined tags, Customized tags, and expression language that JSP development easily.
- Easy To Maintain: It is easily managed because we can easily Separate our Business Logic, in Servlet Technology, We can mix our business logic with the Presentation logic.
- Fast Development: No need to recompile and redeploy. If the JSP page is Modified. we are not required to recompile and redeploy the Project. The Servlet code needs to be Recompiled and updated if we want to change the Look and feel of the Application.
- Less Code than Servlet: In JSP we can use a lot of tags Such as action tags, just, Custom tags, etc that reduce the code. More ever We can use EL and Implicit Objects.
Note : JSP page code is not visible on Client, only generated HTML visible.
Disadvantages of JSP
- JSP is difficult to debug or trace errors because JSP pages are first translated into servlets before the compilation process.
- As JSP pages are translated to Servlets and Compiled, it is difficult to trace error occurred in JSP pages.
- Database connectivity is not easy.
- JSP Pages require more disk space to hold the JSP page.
- JSP pages need more time when accessed for the first as they are to compile on the server.
Uses of JSP
- JSP has many advantages. First, the dynamic part is written in Java, not Visual Basic or another MS-specific language, so it is more powerful and easier to use.
- it is platform independent for Non-Microsoft web servers and other operating systems
- JSP helps developers for making use of Special JSP tags for Insert Java Code in HTML pages
- JSP may be also be used to access JavaBeans objects. JSP allow to share information across pages using request and response objects.
- JSP can be used for separation of the view layer with the business logic in the web application.