A client provides the framework for client
applications that run separately from your application server.
About this task
Decision factors for choosing a client include whether you
want to run a client application on Java Platform, Enterprise Edition
(Java EE) or Java Platform, Standard Edition (J2SE) ; whether you
want ease of use with a small installation footprint or full-function
with medium to large footprint; and whether you need licence to copy
or redistribute the client.A usual first decision to make is do
you want a client application that runs on Java EE or J2SE?. This
leads you to choose from the main types of clients, as described in
this topic. Otherwise, if you want to run an ActiveX program, or a
Java applet, to interact with enterprise beans on WebSphere® Application Server, your decision is only for one of those types of client.
Procedure
- J2SE
If you want to run a lightweight client
application, without the resource and processing cost of the Java EE platform for
WebSphere Application Server on the client machine, then choose either
the Java thin client or the stand-alone thin clients to run on J2SE.
- If you want a client with a small installation footprint, that
you can embed into your application, and that runs under an IBM, Sun,
or HP-UX JRE, choose the stand-alone clients. Each client is an embeddable
single jar with small footprint; for example, the Thin Client for
JMS with WebSphere Application Server, com.ibm.ws.sib.client.thin.jms_7.0.0.jar needs
about 2 MB of disk space. For notable restrictions of stand-alone clients,
see the client comparison table in Client applications.
- If you want a full-function client with medium to large footprint,
that runs under the IBM JRE supplied, choose the Java thin client.
- If you run your client application to use the installed files
of Application Client for WebSphere Application Server, you need about
400 MB of disk space (as part of the Application Client installation).
Choose this option if you intend to copy and redistribute the Java
thin client, within your licensing agreement.
- If you run your client application to use the installed files
of the WebSphere Application Server, you need about 1 GB of
disk space (as part of the Application Server installation). Choose
this option if you do not mind the larger footprint, and you want
maintenance support for the Java thin client.
However, the thin clients running on J2SE do not support
a Java EE container that provides easy access to system services for
object resolution, security, Reliability Availability and Servicability
(RAS), and other services. Also, thin clients running on J2SE do not
initialize any of the services that the client application
might require.
- Java EE
If you want to run a Java client
application that makes full use of the Java EE platform features of
WebSphere Application Server, then choose the Java EE client.
- If you run your client application to use the installed files
of Application Client for WebSphere Application Server, you need about
400 MB of disk space (as part of the Application Client installation).
Choose this option if you intend to copy and redistribute the Java
EE client, within your licensing agreement.
- If you run your client application to use the installed files
of the WebSphere Application Server, you need about 1 GB of
disk space (as part of the Application Server installation). Choose
this option if you do not mind the larger footprint, and you want
maintenance support for the Java EE client.
Note: The IBM Java™ Development Kit
(JDK) is required for the Java
Platform, Enterprise Edition (Java EE) App Client.
The Java EE client provides a container that client applications
can use to access system services. The Java EE client also initializes
the runtime environment for client applications.
- ActiveX to Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) Bridge
If
you want ActiveX programs to access enterprise beans on WebSphere Application Server, choose this client.
- Applet client
If you want a browser-based
Java client application program that provides a richer and more robust
environment than the one offered by the Applet > Servlet > enterprise
bean model, choose this client.
What to do next
Develop your client application to use the type
of client that you have chosen.