Choose a type of client

A client provides the framework for client applications that run separately from the appserver.

Decision factors for choosing a client include whether you want to run a client application on 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 we 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. Otherwise, to run an ActiveX program, or a Java applet, to interact with enterprise beans on WAS, the decision is only for one of those types of client.

 

• J2SE To run a lightweight client application, without the overhead of the Java EE platform for WAS product on the client machine, then choose either the Java thin client or the stand-alone thin clients to run on J2SE.

  • If we want a client with a small installation footprint, that we can embed into the 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 WAS, com.ibm.ws.sib.client.thin.jms_7.0.0.jar needs about 2MB of disk space. For notable restrictions of stand-alone clients, see the client comparison table in Client applications.

  • If we want a full-function client with medium to large footprint, that runs under the IBM JRE supplied, choose the Java thin client.

    • If we run the client application to use the installed files of Application Client for WAS, we need about 400MB of disk space (as part of the Application Client installation). Choose this option if we intend to copy and redistribute the Java thin client, within the licensing agreement.

    • If we run the client application to use the installed files of WAS v7, we need about 1GB of disk space (as part of the appserver installation). Choose this option if we 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 perform initialization of any of the services that the client application might require.

• Java EE To run a Java client application that makes full use of the Java EE platform features of WAS product, then choose the Java EE client.

  • If we run the client application to use the installed files of Application Client for WAS, we need about 400MB of disk space (as part of the Application Client installation). Choose this option if we intend to copy and redistribute the Java EE client, within the licensing agreement.

  • If we run the client application to use the installed files of WAS v7, we need about 1GB of disk space (as part of the appserver installation). Choose this option if we do not mind the larger footprint, and you want maintenance support for the Java EE 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 EJBs Bridge

  If we want ActiveX programs to access enterprise beans on WAS, choose this client.

• Applet client

  If we 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.

 

Next steps

Develop the client application to use the type of client that we have chosen.

 

Related tasks

Develop client applications