What is the correct setup of Tomcat

[Yuan Ye]

Hi. I am new to Tomcat. I have a quesiton about the correct way of setting up Tomcat system on Windows XP.
The first way is to install the Tomcat and its own NT services, Tomcat works as both HTTP server and servlet container. But this means Tomcat is a service in Windows. You have to shut down the whole service to shut down Tomcat.
The second way is first install an Apache(or other services) as a HTTP server then install Tomcat only as a servlet container. This way you can startup and shutdown Tomcat freely without affecting the HTTP server.
Is the above statement correct? And which way is the better way of implementing Tomcat? Any opinion is highly appreciated. Thanks

[Mike Curwen]

You don't select to install Tomcat as "only" a servlet container. You install Tomcat.

After installation, you can configure tomcat to work in a "standalone" mode, or you can configure it to work together with a web server.

The debate rages on as to which is better. Certainly for development, it is easier and less configuration to use it in stand-alone.

Many people use stand-alone for production deployments as well.

As for your last comment on the first method: "You have to shut down the whole service to shut down Tomcat."

Well yes... because the "whole service" is Tomcat. Which in the first case, is a "servlet-aware web server". It wouldn't make sense to have Tomcat "the web server" running, and not Tomcat "the servlet container", because in fact you cannot have the first without the second (though obviously the reverse is not true).

[S Goyal]

I have apache runnig as HTTP server. I want to ask if i need to install tomcat server as a container to my JSPs

[William Brogden]

Yes, Apache does not provide servlet/JSP capability.
Bill