Enterprise Application Web Application Enterprise JavaBean Resource Adapter

Understanding WebLogic Server Deployment 2-5

2.4.1 Enterprise Application

An Enterprise application consists of one or more of the following J2EE applications or modules: ■ Web applications ■ Enterprise Java Beans EJB modules ■ Resource adapter modules An Enterprise application is packaged as an archive file with an .ear extension, but is generally deployed as an exploded EAR directory. An exploded EAR directory contains all of the JAR, WAR, and RAR modules also in exploded format for an application as well as the XML descriptor files for the Enterprise application and its bundled applications and modules. See Developing Applications for Oracle WebLogic Server.

2.4.2 Web Application

A Web application always includes the following files: ■ A servlet or JSP page, along with any helper classes. ■ A web.xml deployment descriptor, a J2EE standard XML document that configures the contents of a WAR file. Web applications may also contain JSP tag libraries, static .html and image files, supporting classes and .jar files, and a weblogic.xml deployment descriptor, which configures WebLogic Server-specific elements for Web applications. See Developing Web Applications, Servlets, and JSPs for Oracle WebLogic Server.

2.4.3 Enterprise JavaBean

Enterprise JavaBeans EJBs are reusable Java components that implement business logic and enable you to develop component-based distributed business applications. EJB modules are packaged as archive files having a .jar extension, but are generally deployed as exploded archive directories. The archive file or exploded archive directory for an EJB contains the compiled EJB classes, optional generated classes, and XML deployment descriptors for the EJB. See Programming WebLogic Enterprise JavaBeans for Oracle WebLogic Server for more information on the different types of EJBs.

2.4.4 Resource Adapter

A resource adapter also referred to as a connector adds Enterprise Information System EIS integration to the J2EE platform. Connectors provide a system-level software driver that WebLogic Server can use to connect to an EIS. Connectors contain both the Java classes, and if necessary, the native components required to interact with the EIS. See Programming Resource Adapters for Oracle WebLogic Server.

2.4.5 Web Service