IBM Application Client is similar to IBM WebSphere Application Server. Just like WebSphere, IBM Application Client is a package that you will install using IBMs Installation Manager. However, unlike WebSphere, the Application Client package is not a full blown Application Server. There is no web browser interface for the Application Client, meaning you will only use the command line. Additionally, there are no Application Servers, Nodes, or Profiles. Instead, at it's core, the Application Client includes Java, so that you can use the Java command line tool. For example, let's say you have a JAR file named HelloWorld.jar that simply outputs the text Hello World. The Application Client can be used to run HelloWorld.jar.

Refer to Install an IBM package using the imcl install command for the complete walkthrough.

Use the imcl (Installation Manager command line tool) command with the listAvailablePackages option to list the Application Client packages that can be installed. In this example, the imcl command is located at /opt/IBM/InstallationManager/eclipse/tools/imcl but you may have the imcl command located at some other directory.

/opt/IBM/InstallationManager/eclipse/tools/imcl listAvailablePackages 
-repositories http://www.ibm.com/software/repositorymanager/com.ibm.websphere.APPCLIENT.v90
-prompt

Something like this should be returned.

com.ibm.java.jdk.v8_8.0.6036.20210920_0725
com.ibm.java.jdk.v8_8.0.7000.20220203_0936
com.ibm.java.jdk.v8_8.0.7005.20220308_0733
com.ibm.websphere.APPCLIENT.v90_9.0.11.20190312_2048
com.ibm.websphere.APPCLIENT.v90_9.0.5000.20190610_1342
com.ibm.websphere.APPCLIENT.v90_9.0.5006.20201109_1605

The imcl command with the install option can be used to install the Application Client and Java.

/opt/IBM/InstallationManager/eclipse/tools/imcl install
com.ibm.java.jdk.v8_8.0.7005.20220308_0733
com.ibm.websphere.APPCLIENT.v90_9.0.5006.20201109_1605
-repositories http://www.ibm.com/software/repositorymanager/com.ibm.websphere.APPCLIENT.v90
-installationDirectory /opt/IBM/ApplicationClient
-acceptLicense
-showProgress
-prompt

Post installation

The <application client installation directory>/logs/install/log.txt file can be reviewed to ensure the installation was successful.

The Installation Verification Tool can be used to ensure the installation was successful.

The listInstalledPackages command can be used to list installed packages.

The versionInfo.sh utility can be used to verify that the application client and Java were successfully installed.

~]# /opt/IBM/WebSphere/ApplicationClient/bin/versionInfo.sh
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IBM WebSphere Product Installation Status Report
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Report at date and time March 23, 2022 3:32:42 AM CDT

Installation
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Product Directory        /opt/WebSphere/ApplicationClient
Version Directory        /opt/WebSphere/ApplicationClient/properties/version
DTD Directory            /opt/WebSphere/ApplicationClient/properties/version/dtd
Log Directory            /home/webproc/var/ibm/InstallationManager/logs

Product List
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
APPCLIENT                installed
JAVA8                    installed

Installed Product
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name                  Application Client for IBM WebSphere Application Server
Version               9.0.5.11
ID                    APPCLIENT
Build Level           f5112208.01
Build Date            2/22/22
Package               com.ibm.websphere.APPCLIENT.v90_9.0.5011.20220222_1524
Architecture          x86-64 (64 bit)
Installed Features    Embeddable EJB container
                      Java EE and Java Thin Application Client

Installed Product
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name            IBM SDK, Java Technology Edition, Version 8
Version         8.0.6.30
ID              JAVA8
Build Level     pxa6480sr6fp30-20210507_01
Build Date      05/07/21
Architecture    x86-64 (64 bit)

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End Installation Status Report
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