Standards for media, security, commerce, and connectivity promise to drive Java into the enterprise
In an effort to expand the utility of Java, JavaSoft announced at JavaOne plans to add a set of applications programming interfaces (APIs). A number of these will be added to the core Java machine, while others, such as 3-D geometry and telephony, will be optional standardized extensions. These APIs will make it easier for developers to create applications that take advantage of a common framework for commerce, multimedia security, and enterprise connectivity.
“The Java industry has asked us for a roadmap that shows Java’s smooth, open evolution from a new object-oriented programming language to a complete programming and operating environment,” said Alan Baratz, president of JavaSoft. “We’ve defined the core APIs that will be basic to the highly compact Java platform that will be embedded in the industry’s leading operating systems.
“In addition, we have defined Java Standard Extension APIs — standard because they are fully specified and documented to promote consistent, universal usage; extensions because they’re additions to the core Java platform. Each of the Java Standard Extension APIs will maintain full compatibility with the Java platform as it moves forward.”
Six sets of APIs
There are six sets of APIs. The Java Commerce, Java Security, and Java Enterprise APIs are considered core APIs. The Java Server and Java Management APIs will be standard extensions. The Java Media API is a mixture of core extensions for 2-D graphics and audio and standard extensions for 3-D, video, and telephony. All of the APIs will be available for comment and review by the end of the year, except for telephony, animation, and 3-D geometry, which are due next year. All are expected to be finalized by the end of 1997.
Although JavaSoft developed some of these APIs on its own, most are the result of a partnership. “We identified a small group of industry leaders and then worked closely with them to define a draft API, refine it, and get feedback from them,” said Stuart MacMillan, manager of strategic alliances and acquisitions at JavaSoft.
The Java Media APIs are designed to make it easier to deliver multimedia over the Internet. Intel Corp. and Silicon Graphics assisted in the development of a media framework API to coordinate the display of audio, video, and MIDI. Intel also is working with SGI on the 3-D graphics API and with Macromedia on the animation API.
‘Nerd War’ demos APIs’ power
At the show, Intel demonstrated the power of these extensions with a number of games played on the Java operating system. In a game called Nerd War, which was similar to Mortal Combat, two nerds tried to punch each other and made wimpy noises when hit. However, even though the demo ran on a Pentium, the graphics, animation, and speed were not at the level of a Nintendo game box.
Alan Holzman, technology manager for strategic partnerships at Intel, said the media framework will allow users to do full audio and video streaming. With Intel’s RSX technology, users also will be able to listen to 3-D audio. Programmers will be able to create applications with moving backgrounds and characters and a moving foreground. Intel is scheduled to deliver the API in the fourth quarter of this year, and it will be the first implementation for Microsoft Windows.
Adobe is building the 2-D API around its Bravo document imaging system. This will provide a library of scalable fonts and enable a variety of imaging applications over the Internet. However, as functions are added to the Java core, the risk of slowing down everything with the overhead increases.
“The architecture group is sensitive toward that, but there still needs to be a base functionality built into it,” said Bryan Lamkin, director of graphics products at Adobe. “The nice thing about Java is it can go out and get what it needs. Many of the technologies of Bravo came after hours of debating that base set. We are still very confident that the footprint of the Java virtual machine will be much smaller than desktop operating systems.”
Lucent Technologies is collaborating on the telephony APIs. These will enable Java applications to interact with the phone system to place calls, automatically identify incoming calls and retrieve records, and interface with voice mail systems.
Java Enterprise APIs will allow Java applications to be integrated with enterprise database and legacy applications. JDBC supports connectivity to databases. Java IDL provides an interface to the Object Management Group’s CORBA architecture. Java RMI supports remote method invocation between two machines running Java. All three of these APIs are now available in early release form.
The Java Commerce APIs will allow secure commerce on the Web. The JavaWallet will provide a purchasing framework for consumers to buy goods and inventory their money and purchased items. The payment-service API will process payments. The merchant APIs will provide shopping-cart and billing capabilities to vendors.
The security APIs will support key management and encryption. They will set an abstract layer between applications and the cryptography, so that developers or users can plug in the cryptography and key-management algorithms of their choice. This is sure to open up options for international software vendors who have always had to water down their security software for export.
Using the security APIs, a vendor could write the application once and then offer the encryption as an option. Although the software would not ship with the encryption included, the standard Java interface into it would make it easy for an international buyer to plug in a Java encryption module from an overseas vendor.
The Java Servlet APIs are the building blocks of customized server applications. The APIs provide a consistent interface into the server, so that developers can create servlets that run on servers, much like applets run on clients.
The Java Management API will allow Java applications to be integrated into network management systems. Many leading network management system vendors (including AutoTrol, Bay Network, BGS, BMC, Central Design Systems, Cisco Systems, Computer Associates, CompuWare, LandMark Technologies, Legato Systems, Novell, OpenVision, Platinum Technologies, SunSoft, Tivoli Systems, and 3Com) have pledged support for the API.
SunSoft plans to implement the Java Management API in its upcoming Solstice WorkShop for developing Java-based network management applications. This API is scheduled to ship by the end of the year.
“SunSoft is committed to providing leadership in the industry adoption of the Java Management API,” said Terry Keeley, vice president and general manager of the Enterprise Management Products at SunSoft. “When we look back in two years, this announcement will be seen as a watershed event in the history of enterprise management tools. Solstice WorkShop will significantly expand the power of Solstice by delivering platform-independent application integration to enterprise networks.”
Although JavaSoft will make available reference implementations of all of the APIs, companies will be encouraged to optimize implementations for different platforms. “We want to see competition in the [non-core] APIs,” noted MacMillian. “For things in the core category, you can rely on us to provide implementations.”
