Middleware

Middleware is software that provides common services and capabilities to applications beyond what's available from the operating system. Middleware sits between the operating system and the applications running on the system. It aims to simplify complex distributed application development by providing reusable services such as transaction management, messaging, authentication, etc.

Some common examples of middleware include application servers, messaging-oriented middleware, and database middleware. Application servers like WebLogic provide services for web apps, including session management, load balancing, and access to backend databases. Messaging middleware like RabbitMQ and Kafka helps connect distributed applications via asynchronous messaging. Database middleware helps pool connections to databases and adds services like caching and connection management. Middleware abstracts away complex infrastructure and networking code so developers can focus on business logic. It facilitates decoupling of components and is commonly used in cloud-native and service-oriented architectures.