Below is a glossary of terms which serves to clarify some of the product names and tags that people often interchange. So I have added this table to clear any misunderstandings about Liberty Core/Runtime, Liberty Profile Vs WAS Base and WAS ND.
| Term | Description |
| WebSphere Application Server (WAS) Base | IBM WebSphere Application Server offers options for a faster, more flexible Java application server runtime environment. It offers enhanced reliability and resiliency for building and running applications, including cloud and mobile. You can select the profile of WebSphere Application Server that best meets your operational and business needs. You are fully entitled to use the Full Profile and Liberty Profile in development and production with this edition. |
| WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment (WAS ND) | IBM WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment provides an advanced, flexible runtime environment for large-scale application deployments. It offers near-continuous availability with advanced performance and management capabilities for mission-critical applications. In addition, WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment offers flexibility in deployment. You can select the profile that best meets your operational and business needs—with this edition you are fully entitled to use the Full Profile and Liberty Profile in development and production. |
| Liberty Profile | The Liberty profile is a highly composable and dynamic runtime environment. OSGi services are used to manage component lifecycles, and the injection of dependencies and configuration. The server process comprises a single JVM, the Liberty kernel, and any number of optional features Built for developers yet ready for production, it’s a combination of IBM technology and open source software, with fast startup times (<2 seconds), no server restarts to pick up changes, and a simple XML configuration. All in a package that’s <55mb to download |
| Liberty Core/Runtime | IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty Core is a lightweight and dynamic application server based on the developer-friendly Liberty profile. Designed for web applications that do not require a full Java EE stack, this WebSphere solution is certified to the Java EE 6 Web Profile specification. The capabilities available in the Liberty Core edition are a subset of the Liberty profile features provided in other editions of WebSphere Application Server. WebSphere Application Server Liberty Core enables less complex, rapid development and deployment of web and mobile applications using fewer resources. |
| Web Profile | In an attempt to limit the footprint of web containers, both in physical and in conceptual terms, the web profile was created, a subset of the Java EE specifications Note: More information can be found in APPENDIX B that covers the definition from Wikipedia of the JEE Web Profile |