In general, WebSphere Business Integration adapters can be categorized as either application adapters or technology adapters.
It is important to note that these are functional distinctions, not architectural differences; all the adapters are still based on the WebSphere Business Integration Adapter Framework.
However, one minor architectural difference that does exist across adapters arises from the use of data handlers.
Some adapters use business object and attribute metadata directly to assemble API calls to an EIS. For example, a business object may represent an SAP BAPI, a Siebel Business Component, a PeopleSoft Component Interface, or a database SQL statement. In these cases, business object data handlers provide complete business object processing.