WebSphere

WebSphere is an IBM family of enterprise middleware that enables development, deployment, and management of Java and other applications. The brand covers application servers, messaging, portal, commerce, and integration products for large-scale, mission-critical environments in on-premises, cloud, and hybrid settings.

The core component is WebSphere Application Server (WAS), a Java EE runtime that provides services for building and running web applications and services. WAS includes features such as connection pooling, distributed transactions, security, clustering for high availability, and administration tooling. It runs on UNIX/Linux, Windows, and IBM Z.

A modular variant, WebSphere Liberty Profile (Liberty), emphasizes rapid development and cloud readiness. Liberty is a dynamic, hot-deployable runtime built from small modules that can be enabled as needed, designed for easy installation, configuration, and updates in modern delivery pipelines.

Other WebSphere products address integration and enterprise needs: IBM MQ provides reliable messaging; IBM App Connect Enterprise (formerly WebSphere Message Broker) handles data routing; WebSphere Portal offers enterprise portals; WebSphere Commerce supports e-commerce.

History and positioning: WebSphere emerged in the 1990s as IBM's flagship enterprise middleware for Java. It gained traction in finance, government, and manufacturing for scalability, security, and interoperability with IBM software. IBM has extended WebSphere to cloud and hybrid environments while maintaining support for existing installations.

Licensing and support: IBM offers perpetual and subscription licenses, with support and maintenance. The product line emphasizes compatibility with Java EE and Jakarta EE, security standards, and integration with IBM cloud and analytics.