I am downloading IBM WebSphere server for the developer edition. I find out two flavours (See attached picture)
i am confused if these two are same. (or there is only the difference for the Java Version)
Let me try to explain the differences. In that page you can download:
IBM WebSphere Application Server for Developers, Full Profile (1-3) - this is developers version of the full Java EE 6 complaint WebSphere Application Server. It contains already Java SDK v6 and is ready to run.
IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty for Developers - this is new lightweight, fast module based server. Directed for developers. Allows you to build your own server with specific features, compliant with Java EE 6 Web Profile. See more details here: Introducing Liberty profile. In addition to Installation Manager download, you can just download zip archive, and just unpack it. It doesn't contain JDK, but can be used with IBM or Oracle Java 6 or 7.
IBM WebSphere SDK Java 7 for Liberty and Full profile - this is just the Java SDK. It can be used for both Full and Liberty profile. WAS 8.5.5 allows you to switch from Java 6 to Java 7. So you need this download, if you want to use Java 7 with Full profile.
If you are starting development, I'd suggest to download zip with Liberty and WebSphere Developer Tools from wasdev
As per this article in 2017, there are some pros and cons choosing one over another
General advice
Reasons to choose traditional WAS
- It costs nothing to move (if you’re already there and it does what you need)
- Still has more function than Liberty
- Full API, full admin console, security options
- Some applications can’t move or would take too much effort
- Uses existing admin skills and assets
- plus larger existing body of knowledge/information
- more training courses available
- Integrated with more products for management/production
- Common stack for key Portfolio products
- Portal server, BPM
Reasons to choose Liberty
- Smaller, simpler, faster to set up
- easier to have common development and production runtimes
- More flexible to install, update and manage
- packaged server ‘master image’ deployments are popular
- Composable, right-sized runtimes
- More choice of deployment environments
- Bluemix, other PaaS, containers
- Liberty on z/OS has higher throughput, lower resource use
- Servers of any edition can be centrally managed (although not clustered)
- Greater management scale with collectives than cells
- Earlier support of new technology through continuous delivery
- Easier version to version migration once using Liberty
