Great New Book : Java EE 5 : Development with NetBeans 6 (Review/Overview)
posted Saturday, 25 April 2009
There is an excellent new book, Java EE 5 : Development with NetBeans 6, which covers a lot of Java EE version 5 territory. I needed a book that covered all the various aspects of Java EE 5 and had examples - it has been awhile since I looked at EJBs (2, thank God is gone and replaced by something useful...3). This ends up being the book for me. The book's contents are the following :
| Chapter 1 : Getting Started with NetBeans | | Chapter 2 : Developing Web Applications with Servlets and JSPs | | Chapter 3 : Enhancing JSP Functionality with JSTL and Custom Tags | | Chapter 4 : Developing Web Applications Using Java Server Faces | | Chapter 5 : Interacting with Databases Through the Java Persistence API | | Chapter 6 : Visual Web JSF Development | | Chapter 7 : Implementing the Business Tier with Session Beans | | Chapter 8 : Messaging with JMS and Message Driven Beans | | Chapter 9 : Web Services | | Chapter 10 : Putting it all Together | | Appendix A : Debugging Enterprise Apps with the NetBeans Debugger | | Appendix B : Identifying Performance Issues with the NetBeans Profiler |
I am very impressed with this book - it covers virtually everything a Java EE developer will need. The book is well put-together explaining details across the spectrum of Java EE technologies. In addition to covering Java EE technologies the author covers details that allow turbo-charging development with NetBeans features such as code completion, code templates, keyboard shortcuts, a host of virtual cues and many other features.
Select Image To View Book Site | In chapter 1 we are moved step-by-step creating the first web application which involves using HTML and Java Server Pages and deploying the web app to GlassFish and observing it using the NetBeans HTTP monitor. In the process, we learn about an HTML AND JSP-oriented palette. One nice aspect is that the example grows to include use of the application server and Java DB and is later modified to add a servlet, a form, authentication and quite a bit more. One nice area is that the book spends some time showing the features of the HTTP Monitor which is generally useful.
The first few chapters spends time covering Java Server Pages (JSP), JSP Tag Library, SQL JSTL tag libraries and Java Server Faces. In a subsequent chapter there is a nice example of using the Java Persistence API which walks you through a non-trivial example of creating a JPA entity, adding persistent fields to the entity, creating a Data Access Object (DAO), using NetBeans to automatically generating a user interface, implementing a controller and running the application. In the next section we are introduced to a method of automatic generation of JPA entitities and generating JSF applications from these JPA entities. | Chapter 6 introduces us to writing a Visual Web App. Leveraging the Visual Web App features (that were derived from Java Studio Creator) we are shown how to easily and visually develop a web app. This is a lengthy chapter that provides an example that spans visually developing a web app that includes database elements.
Chapter 7 is the beginning of the EJB coverage - starting with Session Beans.This chapter shows you how to build a session bean , access the Bean from the client, running the bean, how to manage session bean transactions, implementing aspect-oriented programming with interceptors, implementing an interceptor class, setting up an EJB timer seervice and implementing a client, generating session beans from JPA entities. Chapter 8 covers Message Driven Beans. The example provides the method to use NetBeans to create an EJB module in conjunction with an Application Client Module. We create a JMS Destination and send a message to the JMS Destination and then process the message with the Message Driven Bean.
In Chapter 9 we are introduced to web services and the example creates a basic web service using the powerful web services facilities in NetBeans. We are also shown how to expose EJBs as web services and implementing new web services as EJBs. We are also shown how to create a web service from an existing WSDL .
In Chapter 10 Putting It All Together - the author does just that - in chapter 10 a complete enterprise application is developed that takes advantage of most of the technologies discussed in the book, including Enterprise Java Beans, Visual Web JavaServer Faces, and the Java Persistence API.
Note there are two appendices that cover debugging and profiling in NetBeans. Overall the scope of the book is impressive, the examples are very good and it is well-written. It also does a nice job of showing off how much easier Java EE 5 is when you are using NetBeans. I also noticed that it also has some nice reviews on Amazon as well.
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