Web 2.

0 Frameworks
and Toolkits

Sang Shin
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
sang.shin@sun.com
www.javapassion.com

1
Types of Web 2.0 Toolkit and
Framework Solutions of Today
• Clients-side JavaScript Libraries (ex: Dojo toolkit and more)
• RMI-like remoting via proxy (ex: DWR)
• Integrator (ex: jMaki)
• Java to JavaScript/HTML translator (ex: GWT)
• AJAX-enabled JSF components (ex: NetBeans VWP)
• Dynamic Faces (DynaFaces)
• Portlets and Ajax (ex: JSR 168 portlets)
• Web Application Frameworks with AJAX extension (ex:
Echo2 or Wicket)

2
Client Side
JavaScript Libraries
(Examples: Dojo Toolkit,
Ext JS)
Client Side JavaScript Libraries

HTMP, JSP Pages, JavaScript Event Handlers

UI Widgets &
Components

Remoting Abstraction Layer

JavaScript,
DOM Utilities
XMLHttpRequest iFrame

4
Characteristics of Client Side
JavaScript Libraries
• Server side technology agnostic
> The server side technology can be Java EE, .Net, PHP, Ruby
on Rails, etc.
• You can use them in combination in a single app
> You might want to use widgets and JavaScript utilities from
multiple sources

5
Technical Reasons for using Client-
side JavaScript Libraries
• Handles remote asynch. communication (remoting)
> Hides low-level XMLHttpRequest operation
• Handles browser incompatibilities
> No need to clutter your code with if/else's
• Handles graceful degradation
> Uses IFrame if the browser does not support
XMLHttpRequest
• Provides page navigation hooks over Ajax
> Back and forward buttons
> Bookmarking
6
Technical Reasons for using Client-
side JavaScript Libraries
• Provides ready-to-use widgets
> Tree, Calendar, Textfield, Button, Split panes, Fisheye, etc.
• Provides easy-to-use DOM utility
> Easier to use than original DOM APIs
• Provides useful JavaScript utilities
> Example: Table management, Timer, etc
• Provides error handling hook
> Easier to add error handler
• Provides more flexible event handling
> DOM node based, Function call based, AOP style
7
Technical Reasons for using Client-
side JavaScript Libraries
• Provides advanced UI features
> Animation
> Drag and drop
> Fade out and Fade in
• Generally encourages OO programming style
> Helps you write better JavaScript code

8
Business Reasons for using Client-
side JavaScript Libraries
• Proven in the market
> Generally higher quality than your own
• Established developer/user communities
> Community keeps improving/adding features
> Easy to get help from community forums
• Easy to use
> It is just a matter of having them in the root directory of your
Web application or providing URL location
• Tool support
> IDE's will support them in time
9
Client-side JavaScript Libraries
• DOJO Toolkit
> Most prominent and comprehensive
> Gaining a leadership in this space
> Major industry support (Sun, IBM)
> http://dojotoolkit.com/
• Prototype
> Used by other toolkit libaries
> http://prototype.conio.net/
• Ext JS
> Gaining popularity
> http://extjs.com/
10
Client-side JavaScript Libraries
• Script.aculo.us
> Built on Prototype
> Nice set of visual effects and controls
> http://script.aculo.us/
• Rico
> Built on Prototype
> Rich AJAX components and effects
> http://openrico.org/
• DHTML Goodies
> Various DHTML and AJAX scripts
> http://www.dhtmlgoodies.com/
11
 Demo: Running Various
Client Side JavaScript Toolkit
Demos

http://www.javapassion.com/han
dsonlabs/ajaxframeworks/

12
Dojo Toolkit
Dojo toolkit is
made of a set
of layered
libraries

14
dojo.io.bind()
var sampleFormNode = document.getElementById("formToSubmit");
dojo.io.bind({
url: "http://foo.bar.com/sampleData.js",
load: function(type, evaldObj){
// hide the form when we hear back that it submitted successfully
sampleFormNode.style.display = "none";
},
backButton: function(){
// ...and then when the user hits "back", re-show the form
sampleFormNode.style.display = "";
},
formNode: sampleFormNode
});

source: dojotoolkit.org 15
dojo.event.connect()

window.onload = function () {
var link = document.getElementById("mylink");
// “myHandler” event handler is registered for the
// "onclick" event of “mylink” node.
dojo.event.connect(link, "onclick", myHandler);
}
// Define an event handler named as “myHandler”
function myHandler(evt) {
alert("myHandler: invoked - this is my named event handler");
}
</script>
<a href="#" id="mylink">Click Me</a>
16
Demo: Building and Running
Dojo Toolkit Applications
http://www.javapassion.com/han
dsonlabs/4260_ajaxdojointro.zip

17
Dojo Demo Scenario
• Build and run “input validation” Ajax application
using Dojo toolkit's dojo.io.bind()
> Forward, backward capabilities
• Build and run “Fisheye application” using
dojo.event.connect()
> Event model

18
RMI-like Remoting
via Proxy
(Example: DWR)
RMI-like Remoting via Proxy

JavaScript RMI like call Java Method

Proxy Skeleton

Remote
Abstraction Layer
Framework
runtime
HTTP Get/Post
XMLHttpRequest iFrame

20
Why DWR?
• What happens if you have several methods in a
class on the server that you want to invoke from
the browser?
> Each of these methods need to be addressable via URI
whether you are using XMLHttpRequest directory or client-
side only toolkit such as Dojo or Prototype
> You would have to map parameters and return values to
HTML input form parameters and responses yourself
• DWR provides a client/server framework that
addresses these problems
• DWR comes with some JavaScript utility functions
21
How DWR Works

22
DWR Consists of Two Main Parts
• A DWR-runtime-provided Java Servlet running on
the server that processes incoming DWR requests
and sends responses back to the browser
> uk.ltd.getahead.dwr.DWRServlet
> This servlet delegates the call to the backend class you
specify in the dwr.xml configuration file
• JavaScript running in the browser that sends
requests and can dynamically update the webpage
> DWR framework handles XMLHttpRequest handling

source: http://getahead.ltd.uk/dwr 23
How Does DWR Work?
• DWR generates a matching client-side Javascript
class from a backend Java class
> Allows you then to write JavaScript code that looks like
conventional RPC/RMI like code, which is much more intuitive
than writing raw JavaScript code
• The generated JavaScript class handles remoting
details between the browser and the backend server
> Handles asynchronous communication via XMLHttpRequest -
Invokes the callback function in the JavaScript
> You provide the callback function as additional parameter
> DWR converts all the parameters and return values between
client side Javascript and backend Java
24
Demo: Building and running
DWR Application
http://www.javapassion.com/han
dsonlabs/4265_ajaxdwrintro.zip

25
DWR Demo Scenario
• Build and run Chat application
> Test with 2 browser clients
• Show test feature of DWR
> http://localhost:8084/dwr.examples.chat/dwr
• Show Java class and its methods that are exposed
> Chat has two methods – getMessages() and addMessage()
• Show dwr.xml configuration file
> Specifies Chat class for remoting
• Show client-side JavaScript code
> RMI-like syntax (application-level)
> Asynchronous callback 26
Integration Technology:
jMaki
Motivations for jMaki
• You want to leverage widgets from existing and
future AJAX toolkits and frameworks in reusable
fashion
> Dojo, Scriptaculus, Google Widgets, Yahoo UI Widgets,
DHTML Goodies, Many more
• However, these widgets use different syntax and
different data model
> There is a need for a common programming model and
common data model for using widgets from multiple AJAX
toolkits and frameworks

28
Origins of jMaki?

• ‘j’ is for JavaScript™ technology

• Maki == to wrap in Japanese
• Started as a way of wrapping JavaScript technology
functionality
> Take widgets from many popular AJAX toolkits and
frameworks, and wrap them into a JSP or JSF tag
• Project jMaki has evolved to provide more

29
jMaki Features
• Widgets from popular toolkits
> Dojo, Yahoo, Script.aculo.us, Spry, Google
> Self-contained standards-based Component Library
• Make JavaScript technology accessible to Java technology,
Phobos, PHP and Ruby
• Publish and subscribe event model
• XmlHttpProxy
> Allows access to services not in the web app domain
• Integrated Tools support
> NetBeans and Eclipse plug-in's
• Future Protection
> Unified data model for widgets from different toolkits
30
Benefits of using jMaki

31
Demo: Building and running
jMaki Application
http://www.javapassion.com/handson
labs/4270_ajaxjmakiintro.zip

http://www.javapassion.com/handson
labs/4271_ajaxjmakimashup.zip
32
jMaki Demo Scenario
• Build a simple jMaki application using widgets from
various sources
> Using simpler syntax and consistent data model
• Build a Mashup application using jMaki widgets
> Leveraging publish/subscribe event model
• Build a RSS feed application using jMaki widgets
> Leveraging XmlHttpProxy

33
Java Code To
JavaScript/HTML
Translator: GWT
What is GWT?
• Java software development framework that makes
writing AJAX applications easy
• Let you develop and debug AJAX applications in the
Java language using the Java development tools of
your choice
> NetBeans or Eclipse
• Provides Java-to-JavaScript compiler and a special
web browser that helps you debug your GWT
applications
> When you deploy your application to production, the compiler
translates your Java application to browser-compliant
JavaScript and HTML
35
Two Modes of Running GWT App
• Hosted mode
> Your application is run as Java bytecode within the Java
Virtual Machine (JVM)
> You will typically spend most of your development time in
hosted mode because running in the JVM means you can
take advantage of Java's debugging facilities
• Web mode
> Your application is run as pure JavaScript and HTML,
compiled from your original Java source code with the GWT
Java-to-JavaScript compiler
> When you deploy your GWT applications to production, you
deploy this JavaScript and HTML to your web servers, so end
users will only see the web mode version of your application
36
Why Use Java Programming
Language for AJAX Development?
• Static type checking in the Java language boosts
productivity while reducing errors.
• Common JavaScript errors (typos, type mismatches) are
easily caught at compile time rather than by users at
runtime.
• Code prompting/completion (through IDE) is useful and
widely available
• Automated Java refactoring is pretty snazzy these days.
• Java-based OO designs are easier to communicate and
understand, thus making your AJAX code base more
comprehensible with less documentation.
37
Why GWT?
• No need to learn/use JavaScript language
> Leverage Java programming knowledge you already have
• No need to handle browser incompatibilities and quirks
> GWT handles them for you
> Forward/backward buttons
> Browser history
• No need to learn/use DOM APIs
> Use Java APIs
• No need to build commonly used Widgets
> Widgets come with GWT

38
Why GWT?
• Leverage various tools of Java programming language
for writing/debugging/testing
> For example, NetBeans or Eclipse
• JUnit integration
> GWT's direct integration with JUnit lets you unit test both in a
debugger and in a browser and you can even unit test
asynchronous RPCs
• Internationalization
> GWT internationalization support provides a variety of
techniques to internationalize strings, typed values, and
classes

39
Demo: Building and running
GWT Applications
http://www.javapassion.com/han
dsonlabs/4275_ajaxgwtintro.zip

40
Demo: GWTHello
• Build and run GWTHello sample application from
GWT hands-on lab in
> Hosted mode (Debug project)
> Web mode
• Make a break point in Hosted mode

41
GWT Demo Scenario
• Build and run a simple HelloWorld GWT application
> Write the code in Java programming language
> Run it in both hosted and web mode
• Open “KitchenSink” NetBeans GWT project and run
> Play around various widgets provided by the GWT
> Backward and forward button behavior
• Show how to invoke JavaScript code from Java
code and vice versa
• Show how to associate a CSS style items to a GWT
widget
42
AJAX-Enabled
JSF Components
AJAX-enabled JSF Components
• AJAX-enabled JSF components hides all the
complexity of AJAX programming
> Page author does not need to know JavaScript
> The burden is shifted to component developers
• Leverages drag-and-drop Web application
development model of JSF through an IDE
> You can drag and drop AJAX-enabled JSF components within
NetBeans Visual Web Pack (and other JSF-aware IDE's) to
build AJAX applications
• JSF components are reusable
> More AJAX-enabled JSF components are being built by the
community
44
Open-Source Implementations
• Woodstock AJAX-enabled JSF components (open-
source)
> https://woodstock.dev.java.net/index.html
• ICEfaces
> http://www.icefaces.org/main/home/index.jsp
• ajax4jsf
> Can add AJAX capability to existing applications
> https://ajax4jsf.dev.java.net/

45
Dynamic Faces
(DynaFaces)
DynaFaces — Usage Patterns

• Page Author
> Use AJAX enabled components
Increasing Complexity Increasing Complexity

> Use AjaxZone tag to AJAXify regions of the

page
> Use provided JavaScript library to AJAXify
page elements and components
• Component Author
> Use provided JavaScript library in custom
components
> Write your own JavaScript that talks directly to
the HTTP protocol and the XML application
defined by DynaFaces
Views and Partial Views
Views and Partial Views
DynaFaces Usage Patterns: AjaxZones
• The easiest way to AJAXify
an existing application
• Demarcate one or more
AJAX zones within a page
• Zones will refresh via 2. See update here
AJAX, without full page
refresh.

causes reaction in
another zone
Action in one
zone 1. Click something in here
Demo: Building and running
DynaFaces Application
http://www.javapassion.com/han
dsonlabs/4144_jsfdynafaces.zip

51
Building Portlets with
Ajax Behavior
Issues with Current Portlet
Architecture
• No easy way to make asynchronous call
> same as regular Web application
• The response contains markup for the
whole page not just for the target portlet
• Will be addressed in JSR 286

53
Demo: Building and running
Porlet Application with Ajax
behavior
http://www.javapassion.com/han
dsonlabs/4294_ajaxportlet.zip

54
Portlets with Ajax Demo Scenario

• Build Portlet that has Ajax behavior

• Show two different windows of the same
portlet perform Ajax operations
independently from each other

55
Web Application
Frameworks
with AJAX Extension
Web Application Framework with
Ajax Extension
• Existing Web Application Frameworks add AJAX
functionality
> Minimum or no requirement of JavaScript coding
• Uses JavaScript client library internally

57
“Web App Frameworks with AJAX
Extension” Implementations
• Shale
> http://struts.apache.org/struts-shale/
• Echo2
> http://www.nextapp.com/platform/echo2/echo/
• Wicket
> http://wicket.sourceforge.net/
• Ruby on Rails
> http://www.rubyonrails.org/

58
Demo: Building and running
Ajax enabled Echo2
Application
http://www.javapassion.com/han
dsonlabs/4282_ajaxecho2.zip
59
So... What Should I Use?
So What Should I Use?
Assuming You are using Java Tech.
• On the UI side
> Use AJAX-enabled JSF components whenever possible using
an JSF-enabled IDE such as Visual Web Pack of NetBeans
> If you are not ready to commit yourself to JSF component
solutions yet, use jMaki
> If you want to have total control on the client side JavaScript
coding, use Dojo toolkit
> If you already have Swing apps that you want to expose as
AJAX-fied Web apps or if you do not want to deal with
JavaScript coding, use GWT

61
So What Should I Use?
Assuming You are using Java Tech.
• On the business logic side
> If you already have Java EE business logic that you want to be
exposed as RMI calls on the client with AJAX behavior, use
DWR
> If you are already using a particular Web application framework
for building majority of your web application and the framework
has AJAX extension, use it

62
So What Should I Use?
If you want use Scripting Language
as a Main enabler
• Use Ruby on Rails or Phobos or Grails
> Leverage agile development of scripting
> Leverage the power of Java platform
> MVC based
> Multiple scripting languages

63
Ajax Frameworks
and Toolkits
Sang Shin
Java Technology Evangelist
Sun Microsystems, Inc.

64