CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javajakarta-eewindows-server
Harry Muscle
Harry Muscle

Reputation: 2387

Simple Java app on a Windows Server ... should I use Java EE

I'm gonna be creating a fairly straightforward Java app for my company that will process a csv file nightly. It's going to be running on our existing Small Business Server 2011 box so it definitely needs to run as a service (cause it has to run whether someone is logged into the server or not). Eventually I'd like to add a web component to it so I can view the log files from this app via a browser instead of having to pull them off the server manually.

I'm looking for feedback on what would be the best approach for this project. Should I use Jave SE and use a service wrapper around the created app to turn it into a service. Or should I use Jave EE (which I assume already runs as a service)? I've never used or developed for Java EE, so I'm not sure if this would be the best approach or if it would be overkill. If Jave EE is the best approach any and all information you can share on how to get started with it would be much appreciated.

Thanks, Harry

Upvotes: 1

Views: 438

Answers (6)

JB Nizet
JB Nizet

Reputation: 691765

Unless you're ready to implement a web server yourself from Java SE, you don't have much choice: you'll need some web application framework. It can ba a Java EE web container, or another implementation like Play, for example. But Java SE won't be sufficient.

Upvotes: 0

Richard Sitze
Richard Sitze

Reputation: 8463

For the short term, are you looking for a web interface through which someone uploads (web interface) or some process pushes (web service) a csv file that you then process? If yes, then consider Java EE: servlets, RESTful web services, and such, as others have mentioned.

Otherwise, are you just going to process an existing csv file that's "out on the file system somewhere" on a scheduled basis? If yes then consider timer based Java EE service.

Your production environment's management team might have some insight on what they'd prefer. If they are oriented around a windows management scheme they might be more comfortable with the "native windows" approach to deployment, start, stop, restart, scheduling, etc (i.e. the service-wrapped java program). Another layer of "service management" for just one process may be unnecessary complexity.

Document your setup/configuration/expectations whatever you do.

Longer term, as pointed out by others, your desire for a java-based web monitoring interface will require an app server. Consider your short/longer priorities, schedules to be met, etc. What do you need, when?

Upvotes: 2

PeakGen
PeakGen

Reputation: 23025

Others have explained you what is JavaEE.

Since you say "simple", I guess JSP and Servlets can do the work. You will need a web container like tomcat and that's all(it is easier than having a ejb container + web!). Actually servlets and JSP can do stuff which are not simple too.

If you are willing to use something like sessions, which have great design than Servlet sessions, then you might want to deal with EJB and all.

Upvotes: 0

Dedyshka
Dedyshka

Reputation: 471

You may use webservices for instance axis2

Upvotes: -2

Brian Agnew
Brian Agnew

Reputation: 272307

Java EE is a set of APIs, including JMS, servlet, JNDI, JDBC, EJBs etc. Consequently by using any one of these APIs you can pretty much claim that you're using Java EE, for what it's worth.

As to your particular problem, I would perhaps develop your program as a simple servlet based app and run it under a small container such as Jetty. That way you have a lightweight container (Jetty) and a fairly trivial program to write that can have a simple front-end for admin/monitoring. Note that the Servlet API forms part of the Java EE spec, so you're Java EE compliant, albeit in a minor fashion.

An alternative to this is (depending on how important that web interface is) is to write the program as a standalone program, and run it as a service using the Java Service Wrapper. At a later date you can then embed Jetty into your program and write your simple servlet-based API to run under the embedded web server. I used this approach on a number of projects and it works very well.

Upvotes: 2

Alex W
Alex W

Reputation: 38203

Anything that requires enterprise-level functionality should be done using Java EE:

The Java EE platform is built on top of the Java SE platform. The Java EE platform provides an API and runtime environment for developing and running large-scale, multi-tiered, scalable, reliable, and secure network applications.

http://docs.oracle.com/javaee/6/firstcup/doc/gkhoy.html

Upvotes: 1

Related Questions