Choose a type of client

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

Decision factors for choosing a client include whether we want to run a client application on Java EE or Java Platform, Standard Edition (J2SE) ; whether we 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 we want a client application that runs on Java EE or J2SE?. This leads you to choose from the main types of clients, as described in this topic. Otherwise, to run an ActiveX program, or a Java applet, to interact with enterprise beans on WebSphere Application Server, your decision is only for one of those types of client.

Tasks

• J2SE

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

  • To have 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_9.0.jar needs about 2 MB of disk space. For notable restrictions of stand-alone clients, see the client comparison table in Client applications.

  • To have 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 400 MB 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 your licensing agreement.

    • If we run the client application to use the installed files of the WAS, we need about 1 GB of disk space (as part of the Application Server installation). Choose this option if we do not mind the larger footprint, and we 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 initialize 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, 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 400 MB 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 your licensing agreement.

  • If we run the client application to use the installed files of the WAS, we need about 1 GB of disk space (as part of the Application Server installation). Choose this option if we do not mind the larger footprint, and we 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 EJB Bridge

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

• Applet client

  To have 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.

What to do next

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