http-kit lets you run your own app server like Node.js does instead of sticking it in a servlet container. You just call run-server and you've got a working web app. So yeah, basically a Jetty replacement, but it's less tied into the Java ecosystem and more into Clojure.
Oh ok. Not familiar with Node.js but if it means getting out of Java then definitely worth a deeper look. Thanks. Have any links to quickstart type tutorials? Something that allows someone to deploy a (toy) webapp?
Clojure has a simple scratch->toyapp->deploy workflow. It's just that to find it as a newcomer, you either:
A. Luck out and find it immediately.
B. Get directed to it by someone more experienced.
C. Chase a suboptimal solution because you don't know better. You simply don't know there's an easier workflow. You don't know you can eval code within an editor. You don't know there are tools like paredit or how they'd help you.
For toy webapps, it's good to know these incantations:
lein new compojure myapp (creates webapp skeleton)
lein ring server (starts embedded server for dev)
