Installable enterprise module versions

The contents of a Java™ Platform, Enterprise Edition (Java EE) module affect whether you can install the module on a deployment target. A deployment target is a server or a cluster with at least one member on a WebSphere® Application Server product.

Installable application modules

Select only appropriate deployment targets for a module. You must install an application, enterprise bean (EJB) module, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) archive (SAR), web module, or client module on a Version 8.x target under any of the following conditions:

The module supports Java Platform, Enterprise Edition (Java EE) 6.
The module calls an 8.x runtime application programming interface (API).
The module uses an 8.x product feature.
For example, because support for deployment of application client modules using the administrative console or wsadmin AdminApp commands was added in Version 8.0, you must install a client module using the console or an AdminApp command only to a Version 8.x target.

If a module supports Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) 1.4, then you can install the module on a Version 6.x, 7.x or 8.x deployment target. Modules that call a 6.1.x API or use a 6.1.x feature can be installed on a 6.1.x, 7.x or 8.x deployment target. Modules that call a 6.0.x API or use a 6.0.x feature can be installed on a 6.0.x, 6.1.x, 7.x or 8.x deployment target. Modules that require 6.1.x feature pack functionality can be installed on a 7.x or 8.x deployment target or on a 6.1.x deployment target that has been enabled with that feature pack. Modules that require 7.x feature pack functionality can be installed on a 8.x deployment target or on a 7.x deployment target that has been enabled with that feature pack.

Selecting options such as Precompile JavaServer Pages files, Deploy web services or Deploy enterprise beans during application installation indicates that the application uses features of the current product version. Do not select these options if the targets of the applications are on older version nodes. Use the tools available in the older version, such as JspBatchCompiler, wsgen, or ejbdeploy, to update your application with generated code before deploying your application.

Avoid trouble: You must package container-managed persistence (CMP) or bean-managed persistence (BMP) entity beans in an EJB 2.1 or earlier module. You cannot install an EJB 3.0 or EJB 3.1 module that contains CMP or BMP entity beans. Installation fails when a CMP or BMP entity bean is packaged in an EJB 3.0 or EJB 3.1 module. You can install EJB 2.1 or earlier modules on a 6.x, 7.x or 8.x deployment target.

Installable RAR files

You can install a stand-alone resource adapter (connector) module, or RAR file, developed for a Version 6.0.x product to a 6.x, 7.x or 8.x deployment target. If the module calls a 6.1.x API, then you must install the module on a 6.1.x, 7.x or 8.x deployment target. You must install a module that calls a 7.x API on a 7.x or 8.x deployment target. You must install a module that calls a 8.x API on a 8.x deployment target.

Deployment targets

The following table lists the compatible deployment target versions for various modules. A deployment target version of 6.x, 7.x or 8.x indicates that you can deploy the module to a WebSphere Application Server Version 6, 7, or 8 server or cluster.

Table 1. Compatible deployment target versions for 6.x, 7.x and 8.x modules . Deploy modules to compatible deployment target versions.
Module type	Module Java support	Module calls 6.x, 7.x or 8.x runtime APIs or uses 6.x, 7.x or 8.x features?	Client versions that can install module	Deployment target versions
Application, EJB, or web	J2EE 1.3	No	6.x, 7.x or 8.x	6.x, 7.x or 8.x
Application, EJB, or web	J2EE 1.3	Yes	6.x, 7.x or 8.x for 6.x APIs or features 7.x or 8.x for 7.x APIs or features 8.x for 8.x APIs or features	6.x, 7.x or 8.x You must install modules that call 6.1.x runtime APIs or use 6.1.x features on a 6.1.x, 7.x or 8.x deployment target. You can install modules that call 6.0.x runtime APIs or use 6.0.x features on any 6.x, 7.x or 8.x deployment target.
Application, EJB, SAR, or web	J2EE 1.4	Yes or No	6.x, 7.x or 8.x	6.x, 7.x or 8.x
Application, EJB, SAR, or web	Java EE 5	Yes or No	7.x or 8.x	7.x or 8.x
Application, EJB, SAR, or web	Java EE 6	Yes or No	8.x	8.x
Client	Any Java EE version	Yes or No	8.x	8.x
Resource adapter	JCA 1.0	No	6.x, 7.x or 8.x	6.x, 7.x or 8.x
Resource adapter	JCA 1.0	Yes	6.x, 7.x or 8.x	6.x, 7.x or 8.x You must install modules that call 6.1.x runtime APIs on a 6.1.x, 7.x or 8.x deployment target. You can install modules that call 6.0.x runtime APIs on any 6.x, 7.x or 8.x deployment target.
Resource adapter	JCA 1.5	Yes or No	6.x, 7.x or 8.x	6.x, 7.x or 8.x You must install modules that call 6.1.x runtime APIs on a 6.1.x, 7.x or 8.x deployment target. You can install modules that call 6.0.x runtime APIs on any 6.x, 7.x or 8.x deployment target.
Resource adapter	JCA 1.6	Yes or No	JCA 1.6 resource adapters can only be installed on 8.x. Resource adapter archive annotations are not supported on previous WebSphere Application Server releases.	JCA 1.6 resource adapters can only be installed on 8.x. Resource adapter archive annotations are not supported on previous WebSphere Application Server releases.