How application firewall is different from network firewall?

An application firewall specifically monitors and filters traffic to and from an application, focusing on the application layer (Layer 7) of the OSI model, which allows it to inspect and control specific application-level protocols, such as HTTP or FTP. In contrast, a network firewall operates at lower layers (Layers 3-4) and primarily filters traffic based on IP addresses, ports, and protocols, providing broader network protection. While network firewalls safeguard the overall network perimeter, application firewalls offer more granular security by examining the data being transmitted and enforcing policies specific to individual applications.