The Globalization Development Kit (GDK) is a set of Java APIs that provide Oracle application developers with the framework to develop globalized Internet applications using the best globalization practices and features designed by Oracle. The GDK complements the existing globalization features in Java; it provides the synchronization of locale behaviors between the middle tier Java application and the Oracle database server.

The functionalities offered by GDK for Java can be divided into two categories:

• The GDK application framework for J2EE provides the globalization framework for building J2EE-based Internet application. The framework encapsulates the complexity of globalization programming, such as determining user locale, maintaining locale persistency, and processing locale information. It consists of a set of Java classes through which applications can gain access to the framework. These associated Java classes enable applications to code against the framework so that globalization behaviors can be extended declaratively.

• The GDK Java API offers development support in Java applications and provides consistent globalization operations as provided in Oracle database servers. The API is accessible and is independent of the GDK framework so that standalone Java applications and J2EE applications that are not based on the GDK framework are able to access the individual features offered by the Java API. The features provided in the Java API include data and number formatting, sorting, and handling character sets in the same way as the Oracle Database. Language and Character Set detection technology is also available via the GDK Java API.

The GDK is certified with both Oracle9i and Oracle10g databases running JDK version 1.3 or above.

FREE GDK consulting service

To get customers started with the GDK, Oracle is offering free consulting service* to customers who are considering using the GDK for building their global applications. To participate in this unique offer, please send an email to infonls_migration_us@oracle.com with your contact information including your company name, a description of your application and the time line for your project, together with your globalization requirements.
This is a limited time offer; the selected candidates will be contacted by Oracle directly.

* The free consulting service is being offered by the Oracle GDK development organization, which is not part of the Consulting Services division of Oracle.