Assembling applications
Overview
Application assembly consists of creating J2EE modules that can be deployed onto application servers. The modules are created from code artifacts such as...
- Web application archives (WAR files)
- resource adapter archives (RAR files)
- EJB JAR files
- application client archives (JAR files)
This packaging and configuring of code artifacts into enterprise application modules (EAR files) or standalone Web modules is necessary for deploying the modules onto an application server.
Code artifacts that you might assemble into deployable J2EE modules include the following:
- Enterprise beans
- Servlets, JSP files and other Web components
- Resource adapter (connector) implementations
- Application clients
- Other supporting classes and files
Before one can assemble your code artifacts into deployable J2EE modules, install or get access to a supported assembly tool. WAS supports three tools that use to develop, assemble, and deploy J2EE modules:
- Application Server Toolkit (AST)
- Rational Web Developer
- Rational Application Developer (RAD)
Overview
You assemble code artifacts into J2EE modules in order to deploy the code artifacts onto an application server. When you assemble code artifacts, you package and configure the code artifacts into deployable J2EE applications and modules, edit deployment descriptors, and map databases as needed. Unless you assemble your code artifacts into J2EE modules, one cannot run them successfully on an application server.This article describes how to assemble J2EE code artifacts into deployable modules using an assembly tool. Alternatively, you can use a WebSphere rapid deployment tool to quickly assemble and deploy J2EE code artifacts. Refer to articles on Rapid deployment of J2EE applications in this information center for details.
Procedure
- Start an assembly tool.
- Configure the assembly tool for work on J2EE modules.
- Migrate J2EE projects or code artifacts created with the Assembly Toolkit, Application Assembly Tool (AAT) or a different tool. To migrate files, use the J2EE Migration wizard or import the files to the AST, Rational Web Developer or RAD.
- Create an enterprise application project to which one can add archive files. We can create an enterprise application project separately or when you create archive files such as the following:
- Create a Web project.
- Create an EJB project.
- Create an application client.
- Create a resource adapter project.
- Edit the deployment descriptors as needed.
We can edit deployment descriptors for enterprise application, Web, application client, and EJB modules.
- Optional: Generate EJB to relational database mappings for EJB modules.
- Verify the archive files.
- Generate code for deployment for Web services-enabled modules
What to do next
After assembling your applications, use a systems management tool to deploy the EAR or WAR files onto the application server. Ways to install applications or modules lists systems management tools available for deploying J2EE modules on an application server. The systems management tool follows the security and deployment instructions defined in the deployment descriptor, and enables you to modify bindings specified within an assembly tool. The tool locates the required external resources that the application uses, such as enterprise beans and databases.To deploy EJB projects to a target server, right-click the EJB project in the Project Explorer view and click Deploy.
Package your application so that the .ear file contains necessary modules only. Modules can include metadata for the modules such as information on deployment descriptors, bindings, and IBM extensions.
Use the administrative console at installation to complete the security instructions defined in the deployment descriptor and to locate required external resources, such as enterprise beans and databases. We can add configuration properties and redefine binding properties defined in an assembly tool.
See also
Application assembly and J2EE applications
Assembly tools
Starting an assembly tool
Configuring an assembly tool
Archive support in v6
Migrating code artifacts to an assembly tool
Creating enterprise applications
Creating Web applications
Creating EJB modules
Creating application clients
Creating connector modules
Editing deployment descriptors
Mapping enterprise beans to database tables
Verifying archive files
Generating code for Web service deployment
Assembling applications: Resources for learning
See Also
EJB modules
Enterprise (J2EE) applications
Web applications
Web modules
Application Client for WebSphere Application Server
Resource adapter archive file
Related Tasks
Assembling EJB modules
Assembling application clients
Assembling resource adapter (connector) modules
Assembling Web applications
Developing Web applications
Securing enterprise bean applications
Securing Web applications using an assembly tool
Related Information
Deploying J2EE application clients on workstation platforms
Developing and testing a complete J2EE "Hello World" application with WebSphere Studio V5
Developing and Deploying an End-to-end J2EE Application to JBoss Application Server using WebSphere Studio V5
Setting Up a Remote WAS in WebSphere Studio V5