Command Retail Software: Java Overview
Java is platform independent so retailers can chose the system components that best meet their needs.- A Java-based system allows retailers to add a more robust database on one or more workstations, without having to replace the whole system.
- Java applications are as comfortable on home equipment as they are on servers in a data center.
- Command Retail software utilizes the newest Java Runtime Environment (JRE) of 1.6.
100% Java Based System
Lately, everywhere you look, retail technology is heralding the usage of Java. Java is many things, but fundamentally it is a practical and efficient language that, when used properly, provides options to retailers who are otherwise limited by the scope of their software or by their budgetary constraints. Not all Java systems are created equal; there are many ways that Java can be used to deliver value to the retailer. Simply investing in the hype and implementing "Java" does not mean that your enterprise will profit unless you know what to look for and what to avoid. 
Java 101
Originally intended as an embedded system in everything from toasters to automobiles, the software industry realized that Java brought significant benefits to the problem of connecting disparate systems. Central to this benefit is its ability to operate across a great range of operating environments without additional programming effort. To realize a meaningful benefit from Java requires a change in system design.
In the past, retail software programs (POS systems) were connected directly to the databases which stored the data. This design is called client/server or two-tier architecture. While client/server designs are good choices for small systems and companies, it is limited in its ability to grow to medium or large sizes. If a company that uses a client/server system expects to grow significantly it is likely that the server-side platform and the workstation software would have to be replaced.
How Java Works
Using Java, a middleware layer is designed creating a multi-tier or n-tier architecture. This middleware layer acts to coordinate the activity of the workstations throughout the enterprise as they interact with the database. This allows retailers to add a more robust database on one end or more workstations on the other without having to replace the whole system. Since Java is platform independent, retailers can chose the retail system components that best meet their needs. Even though middleware allows for greater choice in hardware, less money is invested in computing power. That is because Java middleware holds the "business logic" at the server-side instead of in each terminal. Acting as the perfect manager, it only asks for what is necessary and then stores it away, ensuring data integrity and reducing endless cycles of slow processing time. Two-tier architecture does not have this benefit and must continuously pass large amounts of data to and from the database. As retail becomes more educated in Java, retail management software companies are finding it more difficult to delay the impending development time needed to elevate retail into this next stage of technology efficiency. Retailers who are looking for a live, scalable solution should bring their demands forward. The technology that retail has been waiting for is here now and for the future.
Java 101
Originally intended as an embedded system in everything from toasters to automobiles, the software industry realized that Java brought significant benefits to the problem of connecting disparate systems. Central to this benefit is its ability to operate across a great range of operating environments without additional programming effort. To realize a meaningful benefit from Java requires a change in system design.
In the past, retail software programs (POS systems) were connected directly to the databases which stored the data. This design is called client/server or two-tier architecture. While client/server designs are good choices for small systems and companies, it is limited in its ability to grow to medium or large sizes. If a company that uses a client/server system expects to grow significantly it is likely that the server-side platform and the workstation software would have to be replaced.
How Java Works
Using Java, a middleware layer is designed creating a multi-tier or n-tier architecture. This middleware layer acts to coordinate the activity of the workstations throughout the enterprise as they interact with the database. This allows retailers to add a more robust database on one end or more workstations on the other without having to replace the whole system. Since Java is platform independent, retailers can chose the retail system components that best meet their needs. Even though middleware allows for greater choice in hardware, less money is invested in computing power. That is because Java middleware holds the "business logic" at the server-side instead of in each terminal. Acting as the perfect manager, it only asks for what is necessary and then stores it away, ensuring data integrity and reducing endless cycles of slow processing time. Two-tier architecture does not have this benefit and must continuously pass large amounts of data to and from the database. As retail becomes more educated in Java, retail management software companies are finding it more difficult to delay the impending development time needed to elevate retail into this next stage of technology efficiency. Retailers who are looking for a live, scalable solution should bring their demands forward. The technology that retail has been waiting for is here now and for the future.