Associating shared libraries with applications or modules

Associating shared libraries with applications or modules

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We can associate a shared library with an application or module. Classes represented by the shared library are then loaded in the application's class loader, making the classes available to the application.
This page assumes that we have defined a shared library. The shared library represents a library file used by multiple deployed applications.
We can define a shared library at the cell, node, server, or cluster level.
On a multiple-server product, you also can define a shared library at the cluster level. To see the cluster scope, you first must create a cluster on the Server clusters page...
Servers | Clusters | WebSphere application server clusters

This page also assumes to use the admin console, and not an installed optional package, to associate a shared library with an application.
To associate a shared library with an application or module, create and configure a library reference using the admin console. A library reference specifies the name of the shared library file.
If we associate a shared library with an application, do not associate the same shared library with a server class loader.

If we have not done so already, map the application to a target server that is within the scope of the shared library.
For example, if the shared library scope is the my_cluster cluster, map the application to the target my_cluster cluster.
Go to...

Applications | Application Types | WebSphere enterprise apps | application_name | Shared library references

...in the console navigation tree to access the Shared library references page.
On the Shared library references page, select an application or module to which you want to associate a shared library.
Click Reference shared libraries.
On the Shared library mapping page, select one or more shared libraries that the application or modules use in the Available list, click >> to add them to the Selected list, and click OK.
Repeat steps 2 through 4 until you define a library reference instance for each shared library that the application or module requires.
On the Shared library references page, click OK.
Save the changes to the configuration.

Results
When you run the application, classes represented by the shared library are loaded in the application class loader.
The classes are now available to the application or module.

What to do next
To verify an association between an application and a shared library, examine the application class loader in the Class loader viewer.
Troubleshooting | Class loader viewer | module_name | Table View

The classpath of the application module class loader lists the classes used by the shared library.

Related concepts
Class loaders
Shared library reference and mapping settings
Installed optional packages

Related tasks
Create shared libraries
Associating shared libraries with servers
Manage shared libraries
Use installed optional packages

Related
Shared library relationship and mapping settings
Shared library collection
Library reference collection