Difference Between CORBA and RMI

CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture) and RMI (Remote Method Invocation) are middleware technologies used in Java to support distributed computing. CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture) is a middleware technology that allows distributed objects in a networked environment to communicate with one another. RMI (Remote Method Invocation) is a middleware technology that allows Java objects to invoke methods on remote JVM (Java Virtual Machine) objects.

Read this article to find out more about CORBA and RMI and how they are different from each other.

What is CORBA?

CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture) is a middleware technology that allows distributed objects in a networked environment to communicate with one another. It is a specification that describes how objects written in different programming languages communicate with one another. CORBA is a platform- and language-independent approach to distributed computing.

The core idea behind CORBA is that a client application sends a service request to a server object, which provides the service that was requested and returns the results to the client. The Object Request Broker (ORB) is a middleware component that achieves this. The ORB manages communication between the client and the server.

Object location, object activation, parameter marshalling, and error handling are all services provided by the ORB to client and server objects. When a client application needs to execute a method on a server object, it first connects with the ORB, which is responsible for locating and activating the right server object. The ORB then marshals the method parameters before passing them to the server object, which performs the requested operation and sends the results to the client through the ORB.

CORBA also has a comprehensive collection of features and services, such as security, transactions, events, and naming. These services allow for the development of robust and dependable distributed systems for use in mission-critical applications.

What is RMI?

RMI (Remote Method Invocation) is a middleware technology that allows Java objects to invoke methods on remote JVM (Java Virtual Machine) objects. It offers a platform-dependent method for distributed computing in Java.

The fundamental concept of RMI is that a client program running on one JVM can call a method on a server object running on another JVM. This is achieved by using a remote object that implements a remote interface. The remote object is registered with the RMI registry, allowing clients to locate it and call its methods.

When a client application wants to call a method on a remote object, it first contacts the RMI registry to obtain a reference to the remote object. The client can then use the remote object's methods as if it were a local object. The RMI system handles marshalling method parameters and providing results to the client.

RMI provides various services to facilitate client-server communication, including object serialization, stub and skeleton generation, and garbage collection. The process of converting an object to a byte stream that can be transferred over a network is known as object serialization. The process of creating client-side and server-side components that permit communication between the client and the server is known as stub and skeleton generation. Garbage collection is the process of automatically freeing up memory used by no longer-needed objects.

RMI is frequently used in client-server applications, in which a client application running on a user's computer requires access to data or services offered by a server running on a remote system. It is also used in enterprise applications to coordinate activities across multiple systems and departments where distributed objects are used.

Difference Between CORBA and RMI

The following table highlights the major differences between CORBA and RMI −

Conclusion

In conclusion, CORBA and RMI are both middleware technologies that allow distributed computing in Java, but they differ in architecture, protocol, language support, security, and compatibility. CORBA is more flexible and may be used with a number of programming languages and operating systems, whereas RMI is simpler, more secure, and created particularly for Java. The decision between CORBA and RMI depends on the application's specific requirements and the environment in which it will be deployed.