WebObjects/Web Applications/Development/WO Adaptor

Overview

The WOAdaptor layer of WebObjects can be thought of as a broker of requests and responses. Its role in the framework is to:

1. Receive incoming requests of some type (typically HTTP)
2. It checks for the configuration file where(host) the requset should be send
3. opens TCP/IP socket for destination host
4. Package them into a WORequest
5. Dispatch the WORequest to the WOApplication
6. Receive the WOResponse back from the WOApplication
7. Send the response back across whatever protocol the adaptor handles

In most cases, you will be dealing with WODefaultAdaptor, which is provides support for HTTP. However, adaptors could receive requests from any number of sources. As an example, Project WOnder includes ERIMAdaptor, which provides support for requests and responses over Instant Messaging networks.