Scenario 1 – Using a JVM application server

Developers could take the enterprise route and install a JVM-based application server, either a free open source one or a paid proprietary one, that will run the application along with web applications simultaneously, if desired. The server will handle configuration issues and manage database connections.

There are simple application servers available that just contain enough built-in APIs to run basic web applications. But there are also full blown Oracle-certified application servers that have a magnitude of built-in and standardized APIs, including APIs to access databases, generate or consume XML or JSON documents, communicate with other web services via the SOAP or REST standards, provide web security, send or receive messages from legacy computer systems, and many others.

The two most important frameworks for enterprise development are the following:

• Oracle's Java Enterprise Edition (Java EE) platform, covered later in this book
• The Spring Framework ecosystem (including Spring Boot)

Many applications use both these technologies together.

Some of the popular application servers are the following:

• Apache Tomcat (for basic web applications)
• Apache TomEE
• Red Hat WildFly
• Oracle GlassFish
• Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform
• Oracle WebLogic

The first four are open source and the last two proprietary.