Assembling applications

Application assembly consists of creating Java EE modules that can be deployed onto application servers. The modules are created from code artifacts such as WAR files, resource adapter archive (RAR) files, enterprise bean (EJB) JAR files, and application client archive (JAR) files. This packaging and configuring of code artifacts into EAR modules or stand-alone web modules is necessary for deploying the modules onto an application server.

Develop code artifacts to deploy onto an application server and have unit tested the code artifacts in our favorite integrated development environment. Code artifacts that you might assemble into deployable Java EE modules include the following:

• Enterprise beans
• Servlets, JSP (JSP) files and other web components
• Resource adapter (connector) implementations
• Client applications
• Session Initiation Protocol(SIP) modules (SAR files)
• Other supporting classes and files

To assemble the code artifacts into deployable Java EE modules, we can use a supported assembly tool. The product supports IBM WebSphere Application Server Developer Tools for Eclipse and IBM Rational Application Developer for WebSphere Software for developing, assembling, and deploying Java EE modules.

You assemble code artifacts into Java EE 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 Java EE applications and modules, edit annotations or deployment descriptors, and map databases as needed. Unless you assemble the code artifacts into Java EE modules, we cannot run them successfully on an application server.

The steps describe how to assemble Java EE code artifacts into deployable modules using an assembly tool. Alternatively, we can use a rapid deployment tool to quickly assemble and deploy J2EE 1.3 or 1.4 code artifacts. Refer to "Rapid deployment of J2EE applications" for details.

1. Start an assembly tool.

2. Optional: Read the online documentation for the assembly tool.

3. Configure the assembly tool for work on Java EE modules.

4. Migrate J2EE 1.4 or earlier projects or code artifacts created with the Application Server Toolkit, Assembly Toolkit, Application Assembly Tool (AAT) or a different tool.

   To migrate files, use the Migration wizard or import the files to the assembly tool.

5. Create an enterprise application project to which we can add archive files. We can create an enterprise application project separately or when creating archive files such as the following:

   • Create a web project.

   • Create an enterprise bean (EJB) project.

   • Create an application client.

   • Create a resource adapter (connector) project.

6. Edit the annotations or deployment descriptors as needed. We can edit annotations or deployment descriptors for enterprise application, Web, application client, resource adapter (connector), and EJB modules.

   Topics in WebSphere Developer Tools documentation and Rational Application Developer documentation provide extensive information on editing annotations or deployment descriptors.

7. Optional: Generate enterprise bean (EJB) to relational database (RDB) mappings for EJB 2.1 or earlier modules.

8. Verify the archive files.

9. Generate code for deployment for web services-enabled modules or for enterprise applications that use web service modules.

What to do next

After assembling the applications, use a systems management tool to deploy the EAR or WAR files onto the application server. "Ways to install enterprise applications or modules" lists systems management tools available for deploying Java EE modules on an application server. The systems management tool follows the security and deployment instructions defined in the annotations or deployment descriptors, 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.

Package the application so that the EAR file contains necessary modules only. Modules can include metadata for the modules such as information on annotations, deployment descriptors, bindings, and IBM extensions.

Use the console at installation to complete the security instructions defined in the annotations or deployment descriptors 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.

Subtopics

• Application assembly and enterprise applications
  Application assembly is the process of creating an EAR file containing all files related to an application. This configuration and packaging prepares the application for deployment onto an application server.

• Development and assembly tools
  We can use an Integrated Development Environment to develop, assemble, and deploy Java EE modules for WebSphere Application Server.

• Generating code for web service deployment
  Before deploying web services-enabled modules or any EAR files containing web services-enabled module onto an application server, generate deployment code for the application.

• Assemble applications: Resources for learning
  Additional information and guidance on assembling applications is available on various Internet sites.

Related concepts

Application bindings

Ways to install enterprise applications or modules

Enterprise beans

EJB modules

Enterprise (Java EE) applications

JSP

Relational resource adapters and JCA

Servlets

Web applications

Web modules

Types of client applications

Related tasks

Deploy a Java EE client application

Develop web applications

View deployment descriptors

Related information:

WebSphere Developer Tools documentation applications