Business Components for Java provides Linux development options
Oracle’s BC4J delivers reusable components to the Linux platform
Talk to recycling experts, and they’ll speak about the “inherent economy” — that is, reusing existing materials instead of creating new materials from scratch. The same principle applies to application development. A programming tool that allows you to build reusable modules and business components can dramatically reduce your development times, letting you bring new applications to market faster.
That’s the kind of tool Oracle’s Business Components for Java (BC4J) is. Recently ported to Linux, BC4J offers a standards-based, server-side Java and XML framework for developers who must build and deploy reusable business components for high-performance Internet applications, such as e-commerce and business-to-business systems. In our tests, BC4J acquitted itself nicely, proving itself a powerful ally to Linux developers who must create n-tier Internet applications and connect them to Oracle databases.
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Business Components for Java (BC4J), Release 3.1.1.1 for Linux
Business Case
Using BC4J to create reusable business components can reduce development time, allowing you to bring applications to market faster. You can also introduce efficiencies to your programming team by creating libraries of objects once other developers can repurpose those objects in similar applications.
Technology Case
A well-integrated part of Oracle’s JDeveloper IDE, BC4J brings Linux developers in line with their Solaris and Windows counterparts. Applications can be executed in either the Oracle Application Server or Oracle8i as EJB, CORBA, or JSP components.
Pros
- Built-in wizards
- Wide range of deployment options
Cons
- None
Cost
,245 (part of Oracle’s Internet Developer Suite)
Platforms
Development: Linux (also available for Windows NT/2000 and Solaris)
Deployment: Any Java-capable platform
Oracle Corp., Redwood Shores, Calif.;(800) 672-2531
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Applications created using BC4J are comprised of five basic framework components: entity objects, associations, view objects, view links, and application modules. Each component is interrelated, meaning you can establish views into database tables and join, filter, and sort data as needed.
Using the Business Components wizard in JDeveloper, we tested BC4J by automatically generating all the components needed to create a simple order entry system. We could then quickly repurpose several of the entity objects to create a simple RMA (return to manufacturer authorization) system supporting order returns. We were impressed by how quickly we could access backend data stores, as well as BC4J’s built-in validation capabilities (which let us establish rules to prevent users from entering invalid values into the database).
Each component we created was represented by an XML file and one or more Java files. As you might expect, the XML files store metadata, while the Java files store the object code that facilitates an application’s actions. Java developers will quickly recognize that each BC4J component is organized using familiar directory-based semantics. Ultimately, this type of separation greatly enhances your ability to customize and extend business logic, without forcing you to focus on code changes.
Once created in the BC4J editor, applications can be deployed as either CORBA server objects or Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) session beans on any server platforms that support Java. Using the included testing tool, we could quickly put our business logic through its paces within the development environment. You get several testing options; for instance, you can deploy the component as a CORBA or EJB object inside Oracle8i, or you can simply connect to the Application module locally.
Based on our tests and the tight integration between BC4J, JDeveloper, and Oracle’s flagship database products (BC4J is an integral part of Oracle’s JDeveloper IDE, which, in turn, is part of the overarching Internet Development Suite), it’s clear that BC4J would be most effective in an all-Oracle environment. But even if that’s not the case, Linux developers looking to level the playing field with their Windows and Solaris counterparts would do well to take BC4J out for a test run.
