What Does Tool Provider Mean?
A tool provider is the entity responsible for making any tools used by J2EE computer component providers, deployers and assemblers in the development, assembly and packaging of Web-based enterprise applications.
In the J2EE architecture, the tool provider role is managed by a company or individual. A tool provider makes the tools that are needed at different J2EE architecture levels. J2EE supports many components, which requires many different tools.
Techopedia Explains Tool Provider
A tool refers to a program that performs a specific task, thus a tool provider makes the platform-independent or platform-dependent tools used throughout J2EE architecture’s various stages. Platform-independent tools work in any environment with all enterprise archive files, while platform-dependent tools work with a specific environment’s native capabilities
The J2EE architecture includes a variety of distinct roles managed by different companies or individuals. These include: