Creating Java agents

Create a Java™ agent to process events by using Java code. For example, you create a Java agent to calculate complex computations, to call a web service, or to write some logic that is not likely to change.

About this task

Before you create a Java agent, you must create a solution project and model the entities and events. The entity and event model generates corresponding Java interfaces in the Java Model project that are imported when you create a Java agent project.
  • Creating Java agent projects
    You can create a Java agent project to process events by using Java code.
  • Completing the agent descriptor
    You must complete the agent descriptor (agent.adsc) to define the entity to bind the agent to, the events that the agent processes, and the routing logic.
  • Coding your Java agent logic
    You override parent class methods to define a Java agent that meets your needs.
  • Adding user authentication for external systems
    A Java agent can connect to an external system to send or retrieve data or events. If the connection requires authentication credentials such as user name and password, you can store the authentication information as custom solution properties. The Java agent uses the getConnection and getproperty APIs to connect to and authenticate with the external system.
  • Scheduling agents to run at a specific time
    You can schedule agents to run at a specific date and time, or postpone agents for a set time period. To schedule an agent, use the com.ibm.ia.agent.Agent application programming interface (API).
  • Getting the value of a global aggregate
    You can get the values of global entity aggregates and global event aggregates in Java agents to evaluate conditions and make decisions in a Java agent.
  • Getting the value of a shared aggregate
    If you define a shared aggregate in a business model definition (BMD) file, you can access the value in a Java agent. You can use the value in your Java code to evaluate conditions or to determine actions.
  • Submitting a job to calculate a global aggregate
    After you define a global entity aggregate or global event aggregate in a .agg file, you can submit a job in a Java agent to start the calculation of the aggregate.
Parent topic: Developing agents
Related concepts:
Reasons for choosing Java agents