What is WebSphere Application Server - Express?

WebSphere Application Server- Express allows you to implement and manage server-side Java components, such as servlets and JavaServer Pages (JSP) files. These Java components can add complex business logic and dynamic functions to static HTML Web pages.

How an application server differs from a Web server

Application servers extend a Web server's capabilities to handle Web application requests, typically using Java technology. An application server makes it possible for a server to generate a dynamic, customized response to a client request.

This example demonstrates this request and response process:

1. A user at a Web browser on the public Internet visits a company Web site. The user requests to use an application that provides access to data in a database.
2. The user request is received by the Web server.
3. The Web server configuration determines that the request involves an application that contains resources not handled directly by the Web server (such as servlets). It forwards the request to a WebSphere Application Server - Express product through the WebSphere plug-in.
4. The invoked application then processes the user request. For example:
   • An application servlet accesses a database to process the user request.
   • The application produces a dynamic Web page that contains the results of the user query.
5. The application server collaborates with the Web server to return the results to the user.

WebSphere Application Server - Express for iSeries supports these Web servers:

• IBM HTTP Server (powered by Apache)
• Lotus Domino HTTP Server

Administrative interfaces

The primary tool for configuring and managing application servers and applications is the HTTP Server Administration interface.

WebSphere Application Server - Express also provides these administrative tools:

• The Web-based administrative console is a graphical administrative interface.
• Qshell scripts are provided for several administrative tasks.
• wsadmin is a command line administrative tool that runs in a Qshell environment.

These features are provided as technology previews:

• ws_ant is an Apache Ant-based command line administrative tool.
• Java Management Extensions (JMX) are a set of Java administrative APIs that you can use to customize WebSphere Application Server - Express administration.

For more information about the administrative tools, see Administrative tools.

Application development

WebSphere Application Server - Express provides application programming interfaces (APIs) for server-side Java components, which are based on specifications published by Sun Microsystems. You can use these Java components to build complex Web applications, such as an e-commerce Web site:

• Support for JDK 1.3
• JavaServer Pages (JSP) 1.2, including custom tag libraries
• Java Servlets 2.3
• Web Services (SOAP 2.2, WSDL, and UDDI client)
• Java Security model, including APIs and J2EE authentication and authorization
• XML tools, including Xerces and Xalan
• Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) 2.0
• Java Naming and Directory Interface (JNDI) 1.2.1
• JavaMail 1.2

For more information on developing applications for WebSphere Application Server - Express, see Application development.

Note: The WebSphere Application Server - Express product does not include programming tools or a development environment for these APIs. However, WebSphere Development Studio Client for iSeries is shipped with WebSphere Application Server - Express, and it includes several application development tools that run on a client workstation. For more information about WebSphere Development Studio Client, see Application development tools.