BEA signs deal to boost Java development

Web services supplier BEA Systems has signed a deal with online marketplace ComponentSource aimed at making Java developers' lives easier.

As a result of the deal, developers using BEA's WebLogic application server software will be able to look for and buy third-party software components and web services through a BEA specific store within ComponentSource's portal.

They will also be able to locate components at two ComponentSource-hosted galleries accessed through the online marketplace or BEA's developer portal.

Both companies have agreed to work with the global independent software vendor (ISV) community to create new reusable components, including web services and tools for the BEA WebLogic Enterprise Platform and other Java platforms.

ComponentSource specialises in offering reusable software components, and the two companies said that increasing the range of third-party components and tools available on the market will increase Java productivity by saving developers a significant amount of time.

BEA is hoping that the move will make it easier to develop software for its WebLogic J2EE (Java 2 Enterprise Edition) application server as software components, which is typically more difficult to develop than more simple languages, or as prewritten chunks of code.

It will also save developers' time and effort by allowing them to simply drop the code into a software program, instead of having to write the code themselves.

Sam Patterson, chief executive of ComponentSource, said in a statement: "Until now, the ability to easily create Java and J2EE components has been missing from the market.

"In partnership with our global ISV communities, our strategic alliance with BEA helps bring a new dimension to the Java world."

Bola Rotibi, lead analyst for software development strategies at Ovum, said: "The industry should welcome these initiatives.

"End-user organisations want to overcome the complexities of writing J2EE-based applications and focus on building cost-effective solutions that will enhance their business.

"Such a partnership significantly promotes the development and reuse of software components optimised for leading J2EE runtime environments.

"This helps drive reuse at a platform level, [which is] a powerful aid to enterprise cost savings and productivity."