What is the full form of EJB?

Enterprise Java Beans (EJB) is nothing but java applications that can be made scalable, distributed, and transactional by using a component architecture. Business logic is contained within EJBs, which are server-side components that provide capabilities like security, concurrency, and transaction management.

EJBs are a component of Java Enterprise Edition (Java EE), a standard framework for building distributed Java applications. Due to the high level of abstraction that EJBs are intended to offer, developers may focus on the business logic of their application rather than the underlying infrastructure. To do this, annotations are employed, allowing developers the power to specify the traits and functions of their EJBs.

Types of EJB

Three categories can be used to classify Enterprise Java Beans (EJB) −

• Session beans − which can be either stateless or stateful, represent a single client's interaction with the application. Unlike stateful session beans, which keep state across client interactions, stateless session beans do not maintain any client-specific state.

• Entity Beans are used to communicate with an application's data storage layer and represent persistent data that is kept in a database. They frequently serve as a representation for rows in database tables.

• Message-Driven Beans − These are utilised in Java EE applications for asynchronous processing. They are employed for the asynchronous processing of messages from message queues and Java Message Service (JMS) messages, for example.

Session and entity beans are the most widely used EJBs; message-driven beans are used less frequently. While session beans are used to carry out complex actions and encapsulate business logic, entity beans are intended to represent persistent data and interface with an application's data storage layer. Message-driven beans are typically used when the application needs to perform tasks in the background, such as sending email notifications or managing time-consuming tasks.

Benefits of using EJB

Using Enterprise Java Beans (EJB) in Java EE applications has a number of advantages, such as −

• Scalability − EJBs offer a distributed design that enables applications to scale horizontally by introducing extra servers to accommodate a growing amount of load.

• EJBs offer a strong transaction management system that makes sure various database actions are carried out as a single transaction, lowering the chance of data inconsistencies.

• Security − The built-in security mechanism offered by EJBs enables developers to designate who can access their EJBs and what operations they can carry out.

• Concurrency − EJBs offer integrated concurrency management, allowing numerous clients to use an EJB at once despite encountering problems.

• Simplified Development − Development is made easier by the high level of abstraction that EJBs offer, allowing programmers to concentrate on business logic rather than infrastructure.

• Reusability − EJBs can be quickly employed in various application components, cutting down on development time and enhancing maintainability.

• Standardisation − As a component of Java EE, which offers a standardised foundation for developing business applications, EJBs adhere to this standard. This facilitates the adoption of a standard set of tools and methods by developers, enhancing cooperation and interoperability.

Examples of EJB Applications

Business-level applications that need distributed and scalable infrastructures frequently employ Enterprise Java Beans (EJB). Here are a few instances of EJB-using applications −

• Banking and Finance Applications − Transactional applications, such as banking and finance systems, that demand high standards of security and dependability are built using EJBs. Database activities are carried out as a single transaction thanks to the transaction management and concurrency control provided by EJBs.

• EJBs are used to create e-commerce applications, which need distributed infrastructures to accommodate high traffic levels. Scalability and transaction management offered by EJBs ensure the speedy and secure processing of orders and payments.

• EJBs are used to create healthcare applications, which must have intricate business logic and stringent security controls. In order to preserve and securely keep patient data, EJBs can offer a high level of transaction management and concurrency control.

• EJBs are used to create customer relationship management (CRM) applications, which need to manage complicated business logic, data, and transactions. Customer data is saved safely and maintained effectively because to the high level of scalability, transaction management, and concurrency control offered by EJBs.

Conclusion

The Enterprise Java Beans (EJB) technology is a potent tool for creating distributed, secure, and scalable Java EE applications. Transaction management, concurrency control, and security methods are just a few of the many services that EJBs offer in order to streamline development, boost performance, and guarantee security. Developers can spend less time on infrastructure by adopting EJBs and concentrate more on business logic, which speeds up maintainability. Enterprise-level applications including those in banking and finance, e-commerce, healthcare, and CRM systems frequently employ EJBs. In general, EJBs offer a robust and adaptable architecture for developing enterprise-grade applications that satisfy the requirements of contemporary enterprises.

FAQs

Q1. What exactly are EJB containers?

Ans: A runtime environment that controls the lifespan of EJBs is known as an EJB container. It offers EJBs services including concurrency control, security, and transaction management.

Q2. How are transactions managed by an EJB container?

Ans: The Java Transaction API (JTA), which offers a standardised method for managing dispersed transactions across various resources like databases and message queues, is used by the EJB container to manage transactions.

Q3. Is it possible to use EJBs outside of Java EE?

Ans: EJBs were initially created as a component of the Java EE specification, however in some circumstances, they can also be utilised outside of Java EE. The EJB Lite API, for instance, enables the usage of EJBs in standalone Java applications.