Apache announces Tomcat 7.0.6

OPEN SOURCERORS at the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) have added Java Enterprise Edition 6 web applications support to Tomcat 7.0.6.

Apache Tomcat's open source implementation of Java Servlet and Javaserver Pages technologies has added the support in the latest release.

"This is the first stable release of the Tomcat 7 branch", blogged Apache developer Mark Thomas.

"This release contains a number of bug fixes, further performance improvements in session management and several enhancements to the memory leak detection and prevention features," he added.

The Tomcat 7.0.6 updates are catalogued on the Apache changelog, which is chock full of contributions from the volunteer team that added the 7.0.6 feature set.

The biggest distinction for Tomcat 7.0.6 is that it has been upgraded to version 3.0 of the Servlet application programming interface (API). It has also been updated to include version 2.2 of Javaserver Pages. The updated versions of the Servlet API and Javaserver Pages have only recently been signed off as part of the Java Enterprise Edition 6 ratification.

Back in December, The INQUIRER reported that Apache walked from the Java SE/EE Executive Committee (EC) after a spat with Oracle. Apache claimed that Oracle was falling into anti-open source behaviour by not upholding open specification processes for Java SE 7.

Oracle wants Apache to return because the ASF is extremely important for the success of Java. With Tomcat 7.0.6, the ASF proved it's willing to support Java but wants Oracle to loosen the hold it has over Java. µ