SAP's NetWeaver has achieved compatibility with Java Enterprise Edition 5, enabling users to execute Java applications on the NetWeaver Application Server.

The compatibility allows the Netweaver platform to execute Java applications.

SAP has been offering Java compatibility since 2003, although the vendor previously only supported the older version 1.3 when most competing vendors had support for version 1.4. The software vendor is the third to announce Java EE 5 compatibility, after Sun Microsystems and Tmax Soft.

Sun Microsystems unveiled Java EE 5 earlier this year. The platform is designed for server-based enterprise applications and was formerly known as J2EE.

The compatibility feature offers SAP a way to counter Oracle's criticism that its platform is lacking in openness.

Over 30 organisations have a licence for the Java EE technology, allowing them to develop their own application servers. Oracle and BEA are currently offering preview versions of their Java EE 2 application servers.