Middleware:

Middleware is a general term for any programming that serves to "glue together" or mediate between two separate and usually already existing programs. A common application of middleware is to allow programs written for access to a particular database to access other databases. Messaging is a common service provided by middleware programs so that different applications can communicate.

To support the actual construction of component-based systems, middleware for connecting components provides a technical foundation.

• The Common Object Request Broker Architecture(CORBA) of the Object Management Group(OMG)
• Sun's Java Beans and Enterprise Java Beans
• Microsoft's Component Object Model(COM+)