The complexity of Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) may be limiting the use of Java, because many companies lack the necessary expertise, according to findings from analyst firm Meta Group.

"Although many corporations have selected Java as a strategic platform for enterprise development, adoption has been hampered by J2EE's complexity," said Meta in its latest MetaSpectrum report.

Meta said the main area of difficulty was the need for J2EE developers to make applications conform to appropriate Java standards such as Java Server Pages (JSP) and Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB), which are carefully controlled and developed via Sun's Java Community Process.

Mike Lucas, UK technology manager at Compuware, which produces the OptimalJ Java development environment, said that finding experienced J2EE developers could be difficult, and mainstream developers have regarded the complexity of J2EE as a barrier to entering the market. But he argued that appropriate tools and a model-driven approach could ease development.

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