Ant (another new tool) is the tool for building the
application.It basically uses the XML file format.We
have to specify all the info needed for it as an
attribute.Ant provided some specification for that.
Stricktly speaking it is an auto build mechanism tool.
For example it is integrated with weblogic and
websphere as a building tool.

I would read the manual from apache on it. It isn't too bad to pick up.

There are some great tutorials on how to build a simple file, after that it
is just experimentation.