deployment descriptor

An XML-based text file whose elements describe how to assemble and deploy the unit to a specific environment and contain behavioral information about components not included directly in code.

The IDE generates a deployment descriptor from the properties of an enterprise bean, an EJBTM module, or a J2EETM application.

There are different types of deployment descriptors: EJB deployment descriptors described in the Enterprise JavaBeans specification, Web deployment descriptors described in the Servlet specification, and application and application client deployment descriptors described in the J2EE specification.

Deployment descriptors specify two kinds of information: