JBoss Application Server

The JBoss Application Server (JBoss AS) is an open-source, [[Java]]-based application server developed by the JBoss community, now a division of Red Hat. JBoss AS is part of the larger JBoss Enterprise Middleware suite, providing a platform for deploying and managing [[Java Enterprise Edition (Java EE)|Java EE (Enterprise Edition)]] applications.

JBoss AS supports the Java EE specifications, providing a runtime environment for deploying enterprise-level Java applications. It includes implementations of various Java EE APIs, such as [[Java Servlets|servlets]], [[JSP]] (JavaServer Pages), [[Enterprise JavaBeans (EJBs)|EJB (Enterprise JavaBeans)]], [[Java Messaging Service (JMS)|JMS (Java Message Service)]], [[Java Transaction API (JTA)|JTA (Java Transaction API)]], and more.

JBoss AS is known for its modular architecture. It uses a microkernel-based structure where services are deployed as independent modules. This modularity enhances flexibility, scalability, and ease of management. Depending on the version, JBoss AS is compatible with Java EE 6 or Java EE 7 specifications, offering support for the latest enterprise technologies and APIs.

JBoss AS includes features essential for enterprise applications, such as clustering, high availability, load balancing, and distributed computing. These features contribute to the scalability and reliability of applications. JBoss AS provides a web-based administration console for managing and monitoring the application server. Administrators can use the console to deploy applications, configure server settings, and monitor performance.

JBoss AS is designed to be developer-friendly, providing tools and features to simplify the development, testing, and debugging of Java EE applications. It supports hot deployment, allowing developers to make changes to their applications without restarting the server.

JBoss AS has a large and active community of developers and users. Additionally, Red Hat offers commercial support for JBoss AS through its [[JBoss EAP (Enterprise Application Platform)]] product, which is a commercially supported and certified version of JBoss AS.

JBoss AS is often used as part of a larger middleware stack, integrating with other Red Hat middleware products. This includes integration with [[JBoss ESB (Enterprise Service Bus)]], [[JBoss BPM (Business Process Management)]], and more.

In later versions, the JBoss AS project evolved into [[WildFly]]. WildFly continues the tradition of providing a lightweight, modular, and fast Java EE application server. It is the community version, while JBoss EAP is the supported and certified version for enterprise use.