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Head-to-head · Application Servers

WildFly vs Eclipse GlassFish

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 4 checks side by side
Higher score WildFly #2 in Application Servers 9.1/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 3 features Visit WildFly
Eclipse GlassFish #3 in Application Servers 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 3 features Visit GlassFish

WildFly leads on 0 checks, Eclipse GlassFish on 0, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 4 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreWildFly · 9.1/10
  • Free planboth

WildFly scores higher on our rubric for application servers: 9.1 against 9.0 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #3.

WildFly is the better fit for jakarta EE teams wanting a free full server. Eclipse GlassFish is the better fit for free Jakarta EE deployments needing security depth.

  • WildFly fits best

    Jakarta EE teams wanting a free full server

  • Eclipse GlassFish fits best

    Free Jakarta EE deployments needing security depth

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Side by side

Feature WildFly 9.1/10 Visit ↗ Eclipse GlassFish 9.0/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.1 9.0
Ranking #2 in Application Servers #3 in Application Servers
Best for Jakarta EE teams wanting a free full server Free Jakarta EE deployments needing security depth
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Self-hosted Self-hosted, Cloud
Support Community, Docs Community, Docs
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features WildFly 3/3 · Eclipse GlassFish 3/3
Clustering ✓ ✓
Admin console ✓ ✓
Container support ✓ ✓
Specs
Java standard Jakarta_ee Jakarta_ee
Deployment model Self_hosted Self_hosted
Supported operating systems Any operating system supporting ZIP or TAR formats Linux, macOS, UNIX, Windows
Our review
Pros
  • Jakarta EE 11, MicroProfile, and modular server subsystems
  • Clustering, load balancing, failover, and managed domains
  • Web console, CLI client, and HTTP management API
  • Free, open-source Jakarta EE Platform and Web Profile implementations
  • Clustering, load balancing, embedded deployment, and REST administration
  • TLS, RBAC, realms, and audit logging support security-focused deployments
Cons
  • Self-hosted deployment requires responsibility for infrastructure
  • Not positioned as a managed SaaS application server
  • Operating modes and administration add operational complexity
  • Requires JDK 21 or higher for GlassFish 8.0.4
  • Self-hosted deployment leaves installation and operations to your team
  • Its focus on Jakarta EE may not fit non-Jakarta application stacks
Our verdict

WildFly is an open-source application server for building and running enterprise Java applications. It targets teams working with Jakarta EE 11 or MicroProfile that need a complete server they can deploy on their own infrastructure.…

Read the review →

Eclipse GlassFish is an open-source application server for developing and deploying Jakarta EE applications and web services. It offers both full and Web Profile distributions, making it relevant for teams that need Jakarta EE runtime…

Read the review →
  1. WildFlyApplication Servers 9.1Free plan
  2. Eclipse GlassFishApplication Servers 9.0Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • WildFly — where it wins

    • Jakarta EE 11, MicroProfile, and modular server subsystems
    • Clustering, load balancing, failover, and managed domains
    • Web console, CLI client, and HTTP management API

    Where it doesn't

    • Self-hosted deployment requires responsibility for infrastructure
    • Not positioned as a managed SaaS application server
    • Operating modes and administration add operational complexity

  • Eclipse GlassFish — where it wins

    • Free, open-source Jakarta EE Platform and Web Profile implementations
    • Clustering, load balancing, embedded deployment, and REST administration
    • TLS, RBAC, realms, and audit logging support security-focused deployments

    Where it doesn't

    • Requires JDK 21 or higher for GlassFish 8.0.4
    • Self-hosted deployment leaves installation and operations to your team
    • Its focus on Jakarta EE may not fit non-Jakarta application stacks

More comparisons

All application servers comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update