Other Java Technologies

In addition to the four major Java communication technologies, we have shown you three other mechanisms that you can use to plug your Java applications into the Internet. Beans, servlets, and JMAPI give you the means necessary to package, publish, and administer the applications you have written in RMI, IDL, JDBC, or Sockets. Even though the "big four" are fascinating and powerful in their own right, they need the additional functionality provided by the other Java APIs that have been or will be published in the future.

When to Use Beans

Let's say that you've created a bunch of gee-whiz Java applications to interface with your hand-held Personal Information Manager. These applications have several modules that translate the data on the device to a format that is readable by your on-disk schedule manager. These modules are for your address book, to-do list, and schedule. By dividing your Java applications into separate, self-contained Beans, you can publish the components. Moreover, if you were to split out the network component that interfaces the device with your computer, then others could write their own customizable applications that use your network module (see Figure 14-3).