[jdev] client vs component

[Joanne]

This is what I would like to do:

1. I want to implement an external standalone application in C/C++ that communicates with the jabber server via TCP/IP sockets
2. When the standalone app receives a message, it will block until it is finished processing the message. After it is done processing the message, it will process the next one, if any.
3. I need the kind of flexibility that will allow this architecture to scale (i.e. so I can have several external standalone apps that basically listen for the same messages and process them as they come in.)

Unfortunately, I'm a little confused as to how I should implement my standalone app. Should I write a client or a component? Can someone breifly explain the difference between a client and a component, and what the basic advantages/disadvantages are for both, and which one might be best for my needs?