Sun posts Java Server betas

The JavaSoft division of Sun Microsystems (SUNW) today released several key server components intended to make Java development more attractive to corporate users.

JavaSoft has posted a beta copy of its Java Servlet developers kit and Java Web Server to its Web site. Both products are free of charge.

The Java Servlet developers kit lets programmers build servlets, or server-based Java components, that provide secure Web-based access to server data from Java-based clients, and client applications written in other languages, according to the company. Java servlets are Java applets that run on servers.

Servlets can be used in the same way as Netscape Communications plug-ins to add custom applications to Web browsers and desktop applications.

The servlet development kit includes the Java servlet application programming interface, the specification to which Java servlets are written, a servlet runner which executes servlet code, a white paper, and an add-on module which allows servlets to run on Netscape Web servers. Additional server modules are planned to support Microsoft Internet Information Server and for Web servers from the Apache HTTP Server Project.

Since Java servlets and applets are interpreted code, not compiled to a specific operating system or processor architecture, they can be used on any system that includes the Java virtual machine run-time environment.

The Java Web Server is aimed at IS developers and corporate intranet developers. It supports Java servlets, so it can be used to dole out servlets to client systems. The Web Server is written entirely in Java.