Java Web Frameworks
August 15, 2007
Dan Diephouse is looking for a Java Web Framework; there’s an excellent list in Brian McCallister’s answer. I’d add Echo2, which is cool if you’re not really looking for a Web framework, but rather for something to build applications that are tunneled through it (it’s an all JavaScript engine, so “View Source” will essentially show you nothing).
Personally, though, I believe I’d skip using a framework altogether, and go with JSPs and one or more hand-coded Servlets — I’ve not seen Java Web Frameworks yet that do not attempt to hide the Web from me.
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This page contains a single entry from Stefan Tilkov's Random Stuff posted on August 15, 2007 8:24 AM. The previous post in this blog was Google Documents List Data API. The next post in this blog is Getting by with just Servlets and JSPs. Many more can be found on the main index page or by looking through the archives.
Comments
Hey, if you evaluate frameworks based on how you “like” them instead of listing long-term business requirements, you deserve everything you get.
Posted by: Mikael Gueck at August 15, 2007 8:41 AM | link
Mikael, I agree in principle … though I have to point out that, having done my share of evaluations in the past, they’re often not worth much more than a decision based on personal taste when you look at them half a year later.
Posted by: Stefan Tilkov at August 15, 2007 10:50 AM | link
What do you mean by “hiding the web” ?
Posted by: dementian at August 15, 2007 11:16 AM | link
Dementian, good question. What I meant is that the goal of most Web frameworks seems to be to ensure that the developer doesn’t have to care about HTML and CSS, URIs, HTTP requests and responses, etc. They try to make Web development appear more or less like stand-alone client application development, e.g. by implementing a session concept. I don’t want a session concept :-)
I want to have to care about those concepts. I’m comfortable with the Web’s abstractions, I just want a framework that exposes them to me in a convenient fashion. The Servlet API doesn’t do a great job, but I don’t see things like Struts or Tapestry improve according to my requirements.
Of course it’s quite likely there’s a Java Web framework out there that I don’t know about that does exactly this - expose HTTP and other Web standards in a convenient manner to Java programmer. If so, I’m happy to learn …
Posted by: Stefan Tilkov at August 15, 2007 3:16 PM | link
Stefan,
I know you know about Restlet because you’ve interviewed Jerome. Why isn’t that the answer here?
Posted by: Pete Lacey at August 15, 2007 3:35 PM | link
Indeed the Restlet framework is a good candidate, as is any JSR 311 implementation, such as Jersey. I did not single out Restlet because frankly, I still haven’t become familiar enough with it to recommend it; and it’s still too early for JSR 311/Jersey.
Did you implement a non-trivial Web app based on Restlet yet, or know of someone who did? Most of the Web app development in recent times (if it can be called non-trivial, which is questionable) has been done using Rails.
Posted by: Stefan Tilkov at August 15, 2007 4:26 PM | link
well, we have implemented few restlet based web service & webapp’s as clients to those restlet based web services - let me know if you have any questions on those. Though I believe restlet should answer your concern but I dont understand why cant servlet and whatever client that access your servlet addresses your concerns ?
Posted by: Mittal at August 15, 2007 5:34 PM | link
Hey Stefan — here’s how I do it: http://hughw.blogspot.com/2007/08/restful-servlets-jsp-my-framework.html
Posted by: hughw at August 15, 2007 7:48 PM | link
I had questioned usage of web frameworks (albeit for RESTful applications) before: http://abstractfinal.blogspot.com/2007/04/do-we-need-frameworks-for-rest.html
I have continued down the road of servlets + jsps ever since and it has worked out wonderfully well for me.
Posted by: Keyur Shah at August 15, 2007 11:25 PM | link