APIs/Strategy to be used in developing web-based chat Application using Servlets.

I am developing a Chat Application that is similar to Gmail Chat and also want to add feature like Chat rooms.
I came to know that some firewalls do not accept Socket Connections so i want to develop using Servlets.
Is my approach right if not,Can anyone help me by suggesting the strategy to implement the Web-based Chat application using Servlets.
Please suggest which APIs will be used to develop the web-based Commercial Chat Application.

Thank you.

Jack,
Welcome to CodeRanch!

You'll want to explore AJAX so you can get new chats/send out chats without refreshing the page.

Hi,
You can google ajax icepush that may be usefull for creating chat application using servlet.

Thanks Jeanne,
The issue is not about refreshing the Page/using AJAX.Its about sending messages to a specified user on selection(just like GMAIL) from a user-List.
I explored socket programming where for each user a thread is created and the user is also assigned with a port number internally.This model limits the number of connections.
So i am thinking of exploring in JMS since Scoket Programming has its own limitations.
So i request if anyone could help me in building a Chat application (similar to Gmail one- one)using JMS(if feasible commercially).

Thanks and Regards
Jack.

What kind of client do you have in mind - web browser? Java desktop app? Native app? Something else?

Hi Tim,
Currently Its Web Browser in future we develop native App of the same.

Thank you,
Jack

Hi,
Can anyone suggest which API to use for a Chat Application among these.
1.Java Mail API
2.Sockets
3.RMI
4.JMS

I am looking for a Chat application that has the same features as that of Gmail /Facebook Chat (i can handle Ajax/Jquery post calls but i need which api to use)...but i wanna develop it using Java.


Thanks
Jack

How (and why) would you use any Java APIs (like the ones you mention) if the client is a web browser?

Hi Tim,
I need to embed the Chat in one of my Java(portal) Application so i prefer using Java Apis like those i mentioned to send Chat messages from one user to another user.
On top of that i am still not clear how to proceed developing my chat application for my web/portal application.

Thank you,
Jack