What is Java EE? [duplicate]

I realize that literally it translates to Java Enterprise Edition. But what I'm asking is what does this really mean? When a company requires Java EE experience, what are they really asking for? Experience with EJBs? Experience with Java web apps?

I suspect that this means something different to different people and the definition is subjective.


Solution 1:

Java EE is a collection of specifications for developing and deploying enterprise applications.

In general, enterprise applications refer to software hosted on servers that provide the applications that support the enterprise.

The specifications (defined by Sun) describe services, application programming interfaces (APIs), and protocols.

The 13 core technologies that make up Java EE are:

  1. JDBC
  2. JNDI
  3. EJBs
  4. RMI
  5. JSP
  6. Java servlets
  7. XML
  8. JMS
  9. Java IDL
  10. JTS
  11. JTA
  12. JavaMail
  13. JAF

The Java EE product provider is typically an application-server, web-server, or database-system vendor who provides classes that implement the interfaces defined in the specifications. These vendors compete on implementations of the Java EE specifications.

When a company requires Java EE experience what are they really asking for is experience using the technologies that make up Java EE. Frequently, a company will only be using a subset of the Java EE technologies.

Solution 2:

Java EE is actually a collection of technologies and APIs for the Java platform designed to support "Enterprise" Applications which can generally be classed as large-scale, distributed, transactional and highly-available applications designed to support mission-critical business requirements.

In terms of what an employee is looking for in specific techs, it is quite hard to say, because the playing field has kept changing over the last five years. It really is about the class of problems that are being solved more than anything else. Transactions and distribution are key.