News

JBoss Seeks to Bridge Java Models

• By Kathleen Ohlson
• September 27, 2005

JBoss recently released a beta version of its development software designed to simplify writing complex Web applications in Java.

JBoss Seam 1.0 is a framework that integrates Enterprise JavaBeans 3.0 and JavaServer Faces into a single component model, eliminating the extra programming that developers do to make these components work together. Seam uses EJBs everywhere, and there’s no distinction between presentation tier components and business logic components. For example, session beans can be used as JSF action listeners.

The framework applies the concept of declarative statement management to application state. Java EE applications currently manually implement state management, an approach that results in bugs and memory leaks when apps don’t clean up session attributes. Seam eliminates almost entirely this class of bugs, according to JBoss.

Seam is also designed to work closely with jBPM, JBoss’ process work flow server, to create process-driven applications. It also uses annotations featured in Java EE 5, allowing developers not to use a lot of the XML needed by JSF.

The company also released JBoss Microcontainer 1.0, server software that runs and manages plain old Java objects. Microcontainer supports deployment configurations within unit tests, standalone Java applications and third-party Java application servers. JBoss Seam and EJB 3.0 use Microcontainer to prepare their services for use in third-party application servers, as well as non-application server environments.

Microcontainer will be the next-generation foundation for JBoss Enterprise Middleware System, and JBoss Application Server 5.0 will use Microcontainer as its POJO-based foundation. The JBoss Application Server 5.0 is due out next year.