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WebSphere Message Brokers
File: aa40070_
Writer: Cerys Giddings


This build: July 31, 2007 21:15:53

What do I need to know to start developing applications?

New users: use the links in this topic to get information about concepts that are useful to understand before you start developing your applications.

Basic application development concepts

What is WebSphere Message Broker typically used for?

Use the links in this section to find out about the tasks that WebSphere Message Broker is commonly used for. You can also find out about the alternative ways to implement message flows for these tasks.
  • How can I use WebSphere Message Broker to route messages?

    You can select from a number of ways of routing messages using message flows:

    • Using a Filter node

      You can route messages through a message flow based on the content of the message using a Filter node. The nodes that are connected to the different terminals of the Filter node can be used to apply different processing and routing to messages based on their content.

    • Using the destination list to route messages

      You can create a destination list to define the recipients of output messages using a Compute node. This list can then be used to route messages using a RouteToLabel and Label nodes. Alternatively a single message can be sent to many locations using a destination list for the destination mode, on some output nodes.

    • Topics

      In publish/subscribe messaging, a message can be assigned a topic by a publisher. The broker matches the topic with a list of applications that have subscribed to the matched topic and delivers the message to each of the subscribing applications.

    You can see examples of how message flows can be used for routing in the following samples. You can view samples only when you use the information center that is integrated with the Message Brokers Toolkit.
  • How can I use WebSphere Message Broker to transform and enrich messages?

    You can select from a number of different ways of transforming and enriching messages using different nodes in message flows. Messages can be enriched with content from databases, applications and files. The following methods of programming nodes in your message flows can be used to transform messages:
    • ESQL

      Extended Structured Query Language (ESQL) is a programming language based on Structured Query Language (SQL) that is commonly used to work with databases. ESQL is extended to access and manipulate data in messages and databases.

    • Java™

      The JavaCompute node can be used to add any valid Java code to your message flow. You can access, create and transform messages using Java in your message flows.

    • Message mappings

      Message mappings use a drag-and-drop interface to transform messages. You can use conditional logic, ESQL functions and XPath functions to create complex mappings and transformations. You can also use message mapping to select and manipulate data in database tables.

    • XML transformation

      You can use the XSLTransform node to transform from one type of XML message to another based on rules provided by an eXtensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) stylesheet.

    The Airline Reservations sample demonstrates message enrichment, and the following samples demonstrate message transformation. You can view samples only when you use the information center that is integrated with the Message Brokers Toolkit.

What types of application can I develop?

You can develop the following kinds of applications:
  • Message flows

    A message flow is a sequence of processing steps that run in the broker when an input message is received.

  • Message models

    You can define the structure of messages for use with your message flows.

  • Publish/Subscribe

    Publish/subscribe is a style of messaging in which the providers of information (publishers) are decoupled from the consumers of that information (subscribers).

  • User-defined extensions overview

    A user-defined extension is an optional component that is designed by the user to extend the functionality of WebSphere Message Broker. A user-defined extension can be either a node or a parser.

  • Configuration Manager Proxy applications

    The Configuration Manager Proxy (CMP) is an application programming interface that you can program to control broker domains using a remote interface to the Configuration Manager.

Advanced application development concepts

How can I connect my applications?

Use the links in this section to find out how you can connect your applications to WebSphere Message Broker.

What is a logical message structure?

Use the links in this section to find out about the logical message structure and the internal representation of messages within message flows. When a message is received by a message flow a logical structure is created called the logical tree. The logical tree contains a message tree, which is the internal representation of the physical message, plus a number of other trees that are used to store information during the processing of the message in the message flow.

What is a physical message structure?

Use the links in this section to get information about the physical messages flowing through a system, and to find out how the different structures and formats are handled by your WebSphere Message Broker applications.

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This build: July 31, 2007 21:15:53

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