The next version of the Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) standard - version 1.4 - is being delayed for three months to incorporate new Web Services Interoperability (WS-I) standard.

Sun Microsystems was due to release the J2EE 1.4 specification next month. The release is important as it is the first to incorporate web services protocols, standards and programming for connecting different computers.

But the WS-I has been working separately on guidelines and testing tools that help ensure compatibility between products. This includes the WS-I basic profile version 1.0 draft guidelines, issued at the end of January.

Sun said in a statement that it was important for the industry not to have any conflict between J2EE 1.4 and the WS-I. As a result, it will mandate WS-I basic profile compliance within version 1.4 when it finally appears in the summer.

This should strengthen compatibility among the Java tools and application servers supplied by companies such as IBM, BEA, Sun and Oracle.

The WS-I was created because standards compliance alone does not guarantee interoperability. WS-I now comprises a consortium of about 160 companies, including all the leading Java-supporting software vendors.

It is unlikely that the delay will seriously impact the Java community, much of which has yet to move even to J2EE 1.3.