This chapter discusses transaction management in JBoss and the JBossTX architecture. The JBossTX architecture allows for any Java Transaction API (JTA) transaction manager implementation to be used. JBossTX includes a fast in-VM implementation of a JTA compatible transaction manager which is now deprecated. JBoss Transactions (JBoss TS) is the new default transaction manager for JBoss. JBoss TS is founded on industry proven technology and 18 year history as a leader in distributed transactions. The JTA version of JBoss Transactions included with the server provides for fully recoverable transactions. For distributed transaction support the JTS version of JBoss Transactions will need to be used.

We will first provide an overview of the key transaction concepts and notions in the JTA to provide sufficient background for the JBossTX architecture discussion. We will then discuss the interfaces that make up the JBossTX architecture and conclude with a discussion of the MBeans available for integration of alternate transaction managers.