3.2. Management Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)

Management clients

JBoss EAP 6 offers three different approaches to configure and manage servers, being a web interface, a command line client and a set of XML configuration files. While the recommended methods for editing the configuration file include the Management Console and Management CLI, edits made to the configuration by all three are always synchronized across the different views and finally persisted to the XML files. Note that edits made to the XML configuration files while a server instance is running will be overwritten by the server model.

HTTP API

The Management Console is an example of a web interface built with the Google Web Toolkit (GWT). The Management Console communicates with the server using the HTTP management interface. The HTTP API endpoint is the entry point for management clients that rely on the HTTP protocol to integrate with the management layer. It uses a JSON encoded protocol and a de-typed, RPC-style API to describe and execute management operations against a Managed Domain or Standalone Server. The HTTP API is used by the web console, but offers integration capabilities for a wide range of other clients too.

The HTTP API endpoint is co-located with either the domain controller or a Standalone Server instance. The HTTP API Endpoint serves two different contexts; one for executing management operations and the other to access the web interface. By default, it runs on port 9990.

Example 3.1. HTTP API Configuration File Example

<management-interfaces>
    [...]
    <http-interface interface="management" port="9990"/>
<management-interfaces>
The web console is served through the same port as the HTTP management API. It is important to distinguish between the Management Console accessed as on a default localhost, the Management Console as accessed remotely by a specific host and port combination, and the exposed domain API.

Table 3.1. URLs to access the Management Console

URL Description
http://localhost:9990/console The Management Console accessed on the local host, controlling the Managed Domain configuration.
http://hostname:9990/console The Management Console accessed remotely, naming the host and controlling the Managed Domain configuration.
http://hostname:9990/management The HTTP Management API runs on the same port as the Management Console, displaying the raw attributes and values exposed to the API.
Native API

An example of a Native API tool is the Management CLI. This management tool is available for a Managed Domain or Standalone Server instance, allowing the a user to connect to the domain controller or a Standalone Server instance and execute management operations available through the de-typed management model.

The Native API endpoint is the entry point for management clients that rely on the native protocol to integrate with the management layer. It uses an open binary protocol and an RPC-style API based on a very small number of Java types to describe and execute management operations. It's used by the Management CLI management tool, but offers integration capabilities for a wide range of other clients too.
The Native API endpoint is co-located with either a host controller or a Standalone Server. It must be enabled to use the Management CLI. By default, it runs on port 9999.

Example 3.2. Native API Configuration File Example

<management-interfaces>
    <native-interface interface="management" port="9999"/>
    [...]
<management-interfaces>