A task application is a CAF portlet application project (a type of dynamic web project). A task application project can contain one or more tasks and the task supporting components such as assignments, events, control sets, and notifications. Depending on the target runtime, task application projects can contain one or more task user interface components such as portlets or views.

All tasks must be created within a task application project, and all tasks in a single task application project must target the same type of runtime, either My webMethods Server or Integration Server. The number of tasks in a task application project is determined primarily by the complexity of the human activity you are addressing, and by the amount of granularity you want to provide to your project structure. To deploy a task to the target runtime, you must publish the task application project that contains the task; in doing so, all of the tasks in the task application project are deployed to the server.

For example, suppose you are supporting a human activity that comprises six separate task steps. You can create one task application project with all six tasks within it, or you could create six task application projects with one task in each.

In the first case, you can deploy and update all six tasks simultaneously by publishing the single task application project. In the second case, you are able to deploy and update each task separately.

The decision to package multiple tasks into one task application project can also be driven by a requirement to share common Java classes or run-time user session data. The method of implementation depends on how you want to work with the project components.