Newbie questions about Visual Web JavaServer Faces

[UseTheFork]

Hi,

I am new to J2EE and I am exploring the different frameworks available to develop J2EE applications. In Netbeans 6.1, there is a possibility to create Web Application using the Visual Web JavaServer Faces framework. This framework is offering powerful tools to quickly design nice screens.

My questions are:

i) Is the Visual Web JavaServer Faces framework compatible with Spring or Struts? My understanding is that it is not, but can someone with experience confirm this?

ii) What is the difference between the Java Server Face framework and the Visual Web JavaServer Faces framework offered in Netbeans? Would you recommend one over the other? If yes, why?

Thanks,

J.

[Glenn Holmer]

On Mon, 2008-09-15 at 06:25 -0700, UseTheFork wrote:
> ii) What is the difference between the Java Server Face framework and the
> Visual Web JavaServer Faces framework offered in Netbeans? Would you
> recommend one over the other? If yes, why?

Think of the visual web editor as an additional layer added on top of
JavaServer Faces.  You should learn JavaServer Faces thoroughly first
before working with the visual web editor so you are better able to
understand what it is doing.

There are other frameworks that can be added over top of JSF as well,
some of which include Ajax support:

ICEfaces (http://www.icefaces.org/main/home/index.jsp)
RichFaces (http://www.jboss.org/jbossrichfaces/)
Apache MyFaces/Trinidad (http://myfaces.apache.org/trinidad/index.html)
Oracle ADF
(http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/adf/adffaces/index.html)

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[HandyGeek]

Glenn,
I do not intend to dispute what you write below, I just want to add my perspective.  I started out by implementing a functional data-driven web page using the visual editor before I knew Java (.. ah, still learning it), and before I knew what Java Server Faces even meant.  While I agree that to be a proficient programmer, and some day I aspire to be one, you must understand what is happening.  My preferred learning strategy is to take a working program, and work through its internals to see what makes it "tick".  With VWP I drag-n-drop a component, then look behind it to see all the programming supporting it, very informative.

I have read some posts of JSF programming purists who have nothing good to say about programmers using an IDE - create your JSF pages using a text editor, they say!  I guess I am on the other extreme, where I rely on VWP for my development, and I can focus my learning in the dizzying array of other requirements grabbing for my attention and time.

Just my 1/2 cent..  /David

Glenn Holmer wrote:

On Mon, 2008-09-15 at 06:25 -0700, UseTheFork wrote:
  

ii) What is the difference between the Java Server Face framework and the
Visual Web JavaServer Faces framework offered in Netbeans? Would you
recommend one over the other? If yes, why?
    

Think of the visual web editor as an additional layer added on top of
JavaServer Faces.  You should learn JavaServer Faces thoroughly first
before working with the visual web editor so you are better able to
understand what it is doing.

There are other frameworks that can be added over top of JSF as well,
some of which include Ajax support:

ICEfaces (http://www.icefaces.org/main/home/index.jsp)
RichFaces (http://www.jboss.org/jbossrichfaces/)
Apache MyFaces/Trinidad (http://myfaces.apache.org/trinidad/index.html)
Oracle ADF
(http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/adf/adffaces/index.html)

  

[UseTheFork]

Hi,

Thank you for your valuable input.

J.