In [[Java Platform, Enterprise Edition]] (Java EE), the '''Conversational state''' are the field values of a [[session bean]] plus the transitive closure of the objects reachable from the bean's fields. The name "conversational" is used as in this state the client interacts with the bean - a stateless session bean does not do so.<ref name="JavaEE5">{{cite book | url=httphttps://books.google.com.au/books?id=t707HcfW014C&lpg=PA746&dq=Conversational%20state%20(Java%20EE)&pg=PA746#v=onepage&q=Conversational%20state%20(Java%20EE)&f=false | title=The Java EE 5 Tutorial | publisher=Prentice Hall Professional | author=Jendrock, Eric | year=2006 | isbn=9780321490292}}</ref> For example, while a Cart bean might contain a conversational state to communicate with the client about the contents of their cart, an Order bean might not as the invocation is not necessary.<ref name="Vasiliev2008">{{cite book | url=httphttps://books.google.com.au/books?id=1sdZSFpEcbUC&lpg=PA306&dq=Conversational%20state%20(Java%20EE)&pg=PA306#v=onepage&q=Conversational%20state%20(Java%20EE)&f=false | title=Beginning Database-Driven Application Development in Java EE: Using GlassFish | publisher=Apress | author=Vasiliev, Yuli | year=2008 | isbn=9781430209645}}</ref> The transitive closure of a bean is defined in terms of the [[Serialization#Java|serialization protocol for the Java programming language]], that is, the fields that would be stored by serializing the bean instance.
