Payara Micro is a lightweight Jakarta EE and MicroProfile runtime optimized for containerization and microservices. Given the rise of cloud native and containerized application deployments, Payara Micro is a great choice for when you need consistent performance from a smaller runtime. In this blog post, we take a look at five Payara Micro features that you may not know about.  

Uber Jar for Simplified Deployment

One of the standout features of Payara Micro is its ability to create Uber Jars - single, runnable JARs that contain both your application and the server. This simplification means you don't need to install a separate application server. Just run your application from the command line with a single JAR file. This allows you to package your Jakarta EE and MicroProfile applications similar to other frameworks. You get a single “fat jar” with everything ready to run.

Automatic and Elastic Clustering

With Payara Micro, clustering your applications is a breeze. It supports automatic clustering without any additional configuration. When you start multiple instances of Payara Micro on the same network, they automatically discover each other and form a cluster. This feature is perfect for scalability, as it allows for elastic clustering where instances can join or leave the cluster without manual intervention.

Payara Micro API for Dynamic Configuration

Payara Micro goes beyond static configurations. It offers a robust API that allows you to dynamically configure and bootstrap instances programmatically. You can tailor the server's behaviour at runtime, making it incredibly flexible for various deployment environments. This programmable nature opens up a plethora of possibilities for customizing server instances on the fly.

Integration with Docker and Kubernetes

Embracing containerization, Payara Micro seamlessly integrates with Docker and Kubernetes, making it ideal for modern cloud-based applications. You can containerize Payara Micro instances and orchestrate them using Kubernetes, which simplifies deployment, scaling, and management of your microservices in cloud environments. This compatibility ensures that Payara Micro fits perfectly into your DevOps pipelines.

Properties Based Configuration

Payara Micro can be configured in a number of ways depending on your use case. One of the configuration options available is through system and environment variables. You can fully configure Payara Micro via system and environment properties. This allows you to have different constellations of the runtime in different environments in an automatic way. 

Conclusion

Payara Micro is more than just a runtime for Jakarta EE and MicroProfile applications. Its unique features like Uber Jar creation, automatic clustering, dynamic configurations, seamless integration with containerization tools, and advanced monitoring make it a powerful and versatile choice for developing and deploying cloud native microservices. Whether you’re a seasoned Jakarta EE developer or new to the world of microservices, Payara Micro offers a blend of simplicity, flexibility, and power that is worth exploring.

Discover these cool features and more with Payara Micro and revolutionize the way you build and deploy your Jakarta EE applications today!