System for integrating java servlets with asynchronous messages

A system for asynchronous messaging between Java servlets and an HTTP client, comprising:

• a server including a servlet container, a servlet and a servlet response handler;
• an HTTP interface at the servlet container that receives requests from, and sends responses to an HTTP client, wherein a request from the HTTP client is transmitted by the servlet container to the servlet;
• and
• wherein the servlet assumes responsibility for processing the requests, including
• receiving a request from the servlet container and immediately returning a partial response data via the servlet response handler to release the servlet response handler from waiting for a complete response,
• setting a response code to be used with subsequent responses,
• releasing the response handler to interleave the processing of subsequent requests from the HTTP client or from other HTTP clients, and
• subsequently processing the original request by locating the required information, resetting the response code, and sending the information to the HTTP client via the servlet response handler.