Automatic ADF Logout on Browser Close with WebSocket

Every ADF project could have a requirement to handle browser close event effectively. Differently than desktop applications where we could handle such events, browser doesn't send any event to the server, when browser page is closed. This is especially important for transactional data, when user locks data row and lock must be released automatically, in case if user is closing browser without unlocking. Besides transactional data management, it is important for performance improvement - Web session will be closed instantly and WebLogic resources will be released. There was no reliable solution to handle this, now we can do it with WebLogic 12c and WebSockets. WebLogic 12c supports WebSockets natively, there is no need to configure anything or add libraries.

When WebSocket channel is closed, it delivers event to the server on browser close. We could use this event to release locked resources, we need to logout ADF session to force ROLLBACK. Sample application implements HTTP client invoked by WebSocket server endpoint. This HTTP client simulates browser activity and redirects to adfAuthentication with logout request, using original JSESSION ID from closed browser session. This works also during accidental client computer power off. Download sample application where I have described all important implementation steps - ADFSessionHandlingWebSocket.zip.

Sample application is protected with ADF Security, you can login with redsam/welcome1 user. It includes Oracle JET libraries, one of the dashboard tiles implements JET fragment. JET is not required for the sample to work, it is used only to implement dashboard UI.

You can observe from browser log when WebSocket connection is opened. Connection is established on initial page load, immediatelly after login. This opens WebSocket communication chanel, as soon as this chanel will be closed - WebSocket server endpoint will force logout for ADF session from closed browser:

As soon as WebSocket channel is established, ADF web session ID (JSESSIONID is retrieved from the cookie) is sent to WebSocket server endpoint. Sample logs ID of ADF web session:

I'm going to lock one of the records, I'm invoking ADF BC lock method (DB pool is disabled, this will keep DB connection assigned for AM):

Lock action for row data is visible in the log, SELECT FOR UPDATE is executed for ID 102:

Let's close a browser now without issuing ROLLBACK, invoke Quit action in the browser:

WebSocket channel will be closed and this will trigger ADF Authentication servlet request to logout from ADF web session. As logout happens, ADF resources are released, ADF BC is triggering ROLLBACK in DB:

Session is closed based on JSESSIONID. With HTTP Client we simulate user logout after browser was closed:

Now we should overview technical implementation. WebSocket channel is opened from JavaScript:

This happens on page load, with clientListener triggering connectSocket method:

Method connectSocket in JavaScript is using standard WebSocket API to open connection:

WebSocket server endpoint is defined with custom configurator. Through configurator we can reference HTTP session initiated in ADF. HTTP client in WebSocket endpoint will use it later, to simulate ADF logout:

ADF HTTP session is referenced through WebSocket configurator:

Helper session listener class is defined in web.xml, here I'm copying JSESSIONID from the cookie into session attribute (to be able to reference JSESSIONID in WebSocket endpoint):

OnClose method in WebSocket endpoint is invoked, when connection channel between client and server is closed (browser is closed). Here I'm invoking custom method handleLogout method:

I'm constructing HTTP client request with the same JSESSIONID value as it was copied from ADF session. HTTP Get is executed against ADF Authentication servlet with logout request using JSESSIONID value. This is forcing ADF session to logout from simulated HTTP session by HTTP client: