Abstract: Methods and apparatus for implementing deployment descriptors which are used to deploy modules in an enterprise environment are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for deploying an application using a deployment tool for use on a platform server includes creating the application, creating an application deployment descriptor for the application, packaging the application in an archive, and deploying the application packaged in the archive. Creating the application includes obtaining an application component which has an associated application component deployment descriptor that has information relating to the deployment of the application component. The application deployment descriptor for the application includes information arranged to identify the application component, and packaging the application in an archive includes packaging the application component, the application component deployment descriptor, and the application deployment descriptor.