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Jakarta WebSocket

Jakarta WebSocket is a Jakarta EE specification that defines a Java Application Programming Interface (API) for creating WebSocket-based, full-duplex communication channels between clients and servers over a single Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection (network transport / application protocol integration).

  • Standard Java API for WebSocket endpoints, sessions, messages, and lifecycle management (application integration).
  • Server and client programming model for bidirectional, full-duplex communication over a single TCP connection (network transport).
  • Support for text and binary messages, partial messages, and message handlers (messaging).
  • Annotation-based and programmatic configuration of server and client endpoints (application framework).
  • Integration into Jakarta EE application servers and containers for deployment and management of WebSocket applications (enterprise middleware).

More About Jakarta WebSocket

Jakarta WebSocket is a specification under the Jakarta EE umbrella that defines a standard Java API for WebSocket communication, allowing applications to establish full-duplex, bidirectional channels between client and server over a single TCP connection (network transport / application protocol integration). It aligns the WebSocket Protocol (WS) with the Jakarta EE platform, so Java-based enterprise applications can use WebSocket connections alongside traditional HTTP-based components.

The specification describes an API that supports both server-side and client-side WebSocket endpoints (application integration). Server endpoints can be defined using annotations or programmatic configuration, while client endpoints can be created to connect to remote WebSocket servers. The API covers lifecycle callbacks for opening, closing, and error events, as well as methods for sending and receiving messages.

Jakarta WebSocket supports text and binary messages, including whole and partial messages, and defines message handler interfaces for processing these payloads (messaging). It provides abstractions for sessions that represent a live WebSocket connection, giving access to connection metadata and remote endpoints. The API also covers configuration elements such as encoders and decoders, which Marketing Automation Platform (MAP) between Java objects and WebSocket message formats (data serialization).

Within Jakarta EE environments, Jakarta WebSocket integrates with application servers and containers that implement the specification (enterprise middleware). This enables deployment of WebSocket endpoints as part of standard Jakarta EE applications, often alongside technologies such as servlets, RESTful services, and other Jakarta EE components. The specification defines how WebSocket endpoints coexist with Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) infrastructure at the container level, including URI mapping and handshake handling.

Enterprises use Jakarta WebSocket to build applications that require low-latency, bidirectional communication, such as dashboards, collaboration tools, streaming interfaces, and control channels (real-time application integration). The standard API allows vendors to provide compatible implementations, so applications written against Jakarta WebSocket can run on any Jakarta EE-compliant runtime that supports the specification (portability / interoperability).

From a directory and categorization perspective, Jakarta WebSocket fits into network transport and application messaging for Java enterprise stacks. It is a specification, not a standalone product, and it defines how WS capabilities are exposed to Java applications within the Jakarta EE platform. This makes it relevant for architects and platform teams evaluating communication models, protocols, and middleware APIs in Java-based enterprise environments.