Geronimo is an open-source application server for the Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) from the Apache Software Foundation. Geronimo is Spring-compatible, and implements the J2EE management specification JSR 77 and the JSR 88 application programming interface. This book is a guide to installing and deploying Geronimo, and it assumes that the reader is already familiar with the J2EE platform and related technologies.

The first chapter provides a concise background to Geronimo, summarizing its features in the context of its development since its inception in 2003. Installation of the software is presented with the assistance of screen shots, and then the reader is led through the directory structure that has been created and is shown how to start (and stop) the server.

Chapter 2 describes the Geronimo architecture, which is an inversion of control (IoC) framework composed of GBeans. The meaning of IoC is clarified at the start of the chapter, and clear diagrams are used to describe the interactions between the GBeans and the Geronimo kernel. The sequence of actions performed during server startup is discussed and common configurations (defined as “collections of GBeans”) are listed. Finally, an example of creating and deploying a simple GBean is worked through.

Chapter 3 considers the use of Geronimo for Web application development, using servlets to provide dynamic content, and Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) to enable database connectivity. Four authentication methods are covered—hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), form-based, digest, and certification (client-side and/or server-side)—and PostgreSQL is used as the database.

Chapter 4 commences with a discussion of Enterprise JavaBeans (EJBs), and concentrates on session beans. The next chapter extends the discussion to include entity beans, and presents a database example using the Apache Derby database, which is bundled with Geronimo. Both container-managed and bean-managed persistence are covered.

Java Message Service (JMS) is the focus of chapter 6. Chapter 7, a short chapter, discusses the packaging of enterprise applications. Web services and J2EE connectors are covered in chapter 8. Chapter 9 covers J2EE application clients, and discusses their relationship to Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition (J2SE) clients. Chapter 10, “Advanced Geronimo,” briefly discusses further security issues, including HTTPS connectivity. A comprehensive index is provided, and code fragments in the book can be downloaded from the publisher’s Web site.

In general, the book is very well written, and the rather terse style used allows for a substantial amount of information to be presented. Although concepts such as IoC and EJBs are introduced assuming no prior knowledge, their discussion is too brief for readers not already familiar with them. Therefore, some may find these sections of the book difficult to follow. The later chapters are possibly slightly repetitive, in that they all follow the same formula to describe how their focus fits into the Geronimo environment. This book is a useful guide to “getting started” with Geronimo, and the introductory discussions and the sample code used in later chapters are its strengths.