Chapter 1: Apache Tomcat The Java Community Process
Chapter 1: Apache Tomcat The Java Community Process APIs in the Java world are created and modified by a standards body known as the Java Community Process ( JCP). The JCP is composed of hundreds of Java Specification Requests (JSRs). Each JSR is a request to either change an existing aspect of Java (including its APIs) or introduce a new API or feature to Java. New JSRs can be submitted by a member of the JCP. Anyone can become a member of the JCP and, notably, individuals may do so at no cost (organizations pay a nominal fee). Once submitted, the JCP Executive Committee must approve the JSR. The Executive Committee consists of JCP members who have been elected to three-year terms in an annual election. When a JSR is approved, the submitter becomes the Spec Lead. The Spec Lead forms an Expert Group composed of JCP members who assist the Spec Lead in creating a specification detailing the change or addition to the Java language. The Expert Group shepherds the specification along through various review processes (to other JCP members and to the public) until, finally, the JSR is judged completed and is approved by the Executive Committee. If a JSR results in an API, the Expert Group must also provide a reference implementation of the API (discussed earlier in this chapter in the context of Tomcat) and a technology compatibility kit (TCK) that other implementers can use to verify compatibility with the API. Thus, via the JCP, any Java developer can influence the Java platforms, by submitting a JSR, becoming a member of an existing JSR s Expert Group, or by simply giving feedback to JSR Expert Groups. While not the first attempt to create a technology standards body, the JCP is probably the world s best combination of accessibility and influence. As a contrast, the influential World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards body charges almost $6,000 for individuals to join. Visit the JCP at www.jcp.org. The Java EE APIs As mentioned, the Java EE 5 platform consists of many individual APIs. The Servlet and JSP APIs are two of these. The following table describes some of the other Java EE APIs, and a complete list can be found at http://java.sun.com/javaee/technologies/. Java EE API Description Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) Java Message Service ( JMS) Web service APIs Java Management Extensions ( JMX) Provides a mechanism that is intended to make it easy for Java developers to use advanced features in their components, such as remote method invocation (RMI), object/ relational mapping (that is, saving Java objects to a relational database), distributed transactions across multiple data sources, statefulness, and so on. Provides high-performance asynchronous messaging. Among other things, it enables Java EE applications to communicate with non-Java systems on top of various transports. A set of APIs for Web services and XML processing. These include JAX-WS, JAX-RPC, JAXB, SAAJ, and StAX. Standardizes a mechanism for interactively monitoring and managing applications at runtime. Table continued on following page
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