Apparatus and method for providing metadata for the creation of semi-deployed enterprise java beans

A computer program product in a computer readable medium for generating a semi-deployed enterprise Java bean, comprising:

• first instructions for defining an undeployed enterprise Java bean;
• second instructions for defining metadata for the undeployed enterprise Java bean, the metadata including deployment information;
• and
• third instructions for combining the undeployed enterprise Java bean with the metadata to generate a semi-deployed enterprise Java bean, wherein if the metadata in the semi-deployed enterprise Java bean is not recognized by a deployment tool, the deployment tool may use the undeployed enterprise Java bean to generate deployment classes.

An apparatus for generating a semi-deployed enterprise Java bean, comprising:

• an undeployed enterprise Java bean creation means for creating an undeployed enterprise Java bean;
• a metadata generation means for generating metadata for the undeployed enterprise Java bean, the metadata including deployment information;
• and
• a semi-deployed enterprise Java bean generation means for combining the undeployed enterprise Java bean with the metadata to generate a semi-deployed enterprise Java bean, wherein if the metadata in the semi-deployed enterpise Java bean is not recognized by a deployment tool, the deployment tool may use the undeployed enterprise Java bean to generate deployment classes.