A software unit that consists of one or more classes and an application client deployment descriptor.
In Java EE (Enterprise Edition), an “application client module” refers to a component that is part of the Java EE application architecture. It allows Java EE applications to be divided into different modules, each serving a specific purpose.
An application client module typically contains the following:
- Application client class(es): These are Java classes that contain the application’s code and logic specific to the client-side. These classes are responsible for interacting with the server-side components.
- Application client deployment descriptor: This is an XML file named
application-client.xml
that provides configuration information for the application client module. It specifies details such as the main class, the server to connect to, and other relevant settings.
When a Java EE application is deployed, it can consist of various modules, including web modules, EJB (Enterprise JavaBeans) modules, and application client modules. The application client module, in particular, is designed for applications that run on the client-side (typically on the user’s machine) and interact with the server-side components of the Java EE application.
In summary, an application client module in Java EE encapsulates the code and configuration necessary for the client-side part of a distributed enterprise application.