RMI uses a layered architecture, each of the layers could be enhanced or replaced without affecting the rest of the system. The details of layers can be summarised as follows:

1. Application Layer: The client and server program

2. Stub & Skeleton Layer: Intercepts method calls made by the client/redirects these calls to a remote RMI service.

3.Remote Reference Layer: Understands how to interpret and manage references made from clients to the remote service objects.

4.Transport layer: Based on TCP/IP connections between machines in a network. It provides basic connectivity, as well as some firewall penetration strategies.