"Reference Implementation" is a technical term.
The Java specifications are managed using the JCP process. For a
specification to be final, the Expert Group leader has to submit to the JCP:
- A specification document
- A test suite
- An implementation that implements the spec and passes the tests.
The latter is the "reference implementation" (RI) for the specification.
Some RIs are proof of concept. Some RIs are fully-featured,
production-ready products.
GlassFish v3 is a fully-featured, production-ready Application Server
that implements JavaEE 6. Sun is the specification lead for JavaEE 6
and the RI for JavaEE 6 is based derived from GlassFish (see PS).
Hope this helps,
- eduard/o
PS. You may notice that I do not just say "GF is the RI". Informally
that is true enough but, to be and 100% accurate... the RI is a source
drop to the JCP that is based on the GlassFish sources and that is made
aailable to the JavaEE licensees. This is probably TMI, though.
On 3/7/10 6:51 AM, glassfish_at_javadesktop.org wrote:
> I'm sorry but i still don't get the "reference implementation" term. I've recently seen the interview with Arun Gupta, "sun technology evangelist" and afaik the glassfish developer (java.sun.com -> featured content frame -> videos and podcasts -> deep dive with Ed Ort: java ee6 and glassfish v3 with Arun Gupta). In part two, time 0:30 Ed says: "So, Arun, I guess the first thing to mention [...] is glassfish v3 IS the reference implementation for java ee 6, right?" Arun: "That's right". But then, 17:41, Arun: "Glassfish v3 will soon be available, hopefully by the time this webcast goes live...". So if, uh, Red-Had, had secretly developed their implementation of Java ee 6 and released their newest JBoss before gf3 then would JBoss would have been the reference implementation?
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