Naming References and Binding Information

A resource reference is an element in a deployment descriptor that identifies the component’s coded name for the resource. For example, jdbc/SavingsAccountDB. More specifically, the coded name references a connection factory for the resource.

The JNDI name of a resource and the resource reference name are not the same. This approach to naming requires that you map the two names before deployment, but it also decouples components from resources. Because of this decoupling, if at a later time the component needs to access a different resource, the name does not need to change. This flexibility makes it easier for you to assemble Java EE applications from preexisting components.

The following table lists JNDI lookups and their associated resource references for the Java EE resources used by the GlassFish Server.

Table 20–1 JNDI Lookup Names and Their Associated References

JNDI Lookup Name	Associated Resource Reference
java:comp/env	Application environment entries
java:comp/env/jdbc	JDBC DataSource resource manager connection factories
java:comp/env/ejb	EJB References
java:comp/UserTransaction	UserTransaction references
java:comp/env/mail	JavaMail Session Connection Factories
java:comp/env/url	URL Connection Factories
java:comp/env/jms	JMS Connection Factories and Destinations
java:comp/ORB	ORB instance shared across application components