The GlassFish v3 preview offers a glimpse at Java EE 6 and some of the benefits it will bring. Fast redeployment alone is worth taking a look at this new server. But Java EE 6 also standardizes many features that make life of a developer a lot easier. Most of those have been available in one way or another in different frameworks and libraries, but it’s nice to see them integrated into the java standards.
If you download and install the latest NetBeans 6.7 with GlassFish server, you’ll get a very quick start. Everything is preconfigured and ready to go. There’s one thing to watch out for though. The package includes GlassFish v3 Prelude. This version does not support EJBs and many Java EE technologies. I’m not entirely sure, but I think it’s pretty much the EE “web profile” (give or take a few features).
If you want everything but the kitchen sink, you need to download GlassFish v3 Preview. This is a more recent version of the server and it also allows you to test all EE 6 features. While the download will require a little extra work, luckily, you can easily integrate it into NetBeans and have all the great debug features.
Just add a server from the Tools menu:
