Oracle Readies Java EE 5 Support, App Server Update

Oracle on Wednesday previewed a flurry of upcoming software at the JavaOne conference, including new developer tools and a new version of its application server that will support Java Enterprise Edition 5.

Oracle has been an active backer of Java and has contributed key technology, its TopLink Essentials software, to the EJB 3.0 specification that marks one of Java EE 5's major advances. One year after Java EE 5 shipped, Oracle is close to rolling out support in its software.

New versions of Oracle's JDeveloper and application development framework (ADF) include tools and visual development features for all Java EE 5 standards and APIs , along with AJAX-friendly advances such as a new JavaScript editor and debugger and more than 80 rich-client component building blocks. The components have been open-sourced and will form a new subproject, called the Rich Client Framework, within the Apache Software Foundation's MyFaces project.

Oracle also previewed its planned Application Server 11g, which has passed Sun's Java EE 5 compatibility tests. The Redwood Shores, Calif., company hasn't announced ship dates for the products it previewed, saying only that they will ship during its next fiscal year, which begins June 1.

Oracle's application server is the seventh to support Java EE 5, following BEA's WebLogic, SAP's NetWeaver and Sun's GlassFish reference implementation. Solution providers say they expect Java EE 5 adoption to build gradually as key vendors update their middleware to support the new specifications.

Oracle earlier offered support for some of Java EE 5's updates but took its time rolling out its full application-server update. Ted Farrell, Oracle's chief architect and vice president of tools and middleware, said the phased approach was adopted in response to customer demand.

"The more mature Java EE gets, the less clamoring we hear for quick support," he said. "Back in the day, with Java EE 1.2, there were so many key new features coming in the architecture that people jumped all over it. This version, most of the buzz we heard around the release was around EJB and JSF 1.2. That's why we decided to support those earlier, rather than going for thin coverage on everything. We went deep with those."