Java developer tool backs AJAX

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January 26, 2006 (InfoWorld) -- Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX) programming figures prominently in a free upgrade of the Sun Java Studio Creator developer tool released by Sun Microsystems Inc. on Wednesday.

Geared toward corporate developers and Visual Basic developers, Sun Java Studio Creator 2 is positioned as Sun's easy-to-use tool for Java development. Looking to enable development of richer Internet applications, Version 2 features a set of JavaServer Faces components and code clips for building AJAX-style applications.

The reusable components, for functions such as mapping and text completion, enable developers to have AJAX functionality without having to program in AJAX, according to Sun. A progress bar component supports long-running processes in programs, such as an inventory check.

"These components themselves are style-able and theme-able," said Dan Roberts, a director of developer tools marketing at Sun. "That's important for developers who want to customize the look of [their] Web applications or coordinate the look of multiple Web applications.

"By theming, you can define in a set of style sheets how you want that page to look," Roberts said.

AJAX gives a boost to Sun's tool, according to analyst Stephen O'Grady at RedMonk LLC. "AJAX, in particular, is an important addition to Creator, because it allows for the generated Web applications to have a far richer user experience," O'Grady said in an e-mail.

But Java Studio Creator's focus on simplicity may turn away experienced developers. "The product, via substantial abstraction, allows for less skilled developers to rapidly generate relatively sophisticated Web applications. The catch is that more experienced developers may find some of the abstraction unnecessary and/or undesirable," said O'Grady.

Version 2 is based on the NetBeans 4.1 open-source tools platform, which features functionality such as version control, refactoring, and support for class browsing and navigations in applications.

Also featured in Version 2 is a data provider application programming interface for working with data regardless of the source. For example, a Web service could be dragged and dropped on a page without having to write code to bind to that Web service. Data sources are treated identically.

The tool includes a drag-and-drop environment for Web application and portlet development. Version 2 also has updates to the application server, a sample database and a developer kit . A Cascading Style Sheets Editor enables developers to edit project style classes and themes, providing a customized look and feel in Web applications. Support for visual design, based on Java Specification Request 168, boosts portlet development.

Originally, Sun charged $99 for Sun Java Studio Creator, but dropped the fee in November. "The goal here is to remove all barriers to entry and get developers easy access to our tools," Robertssaid. Sun hopes to generate revenue from its tools by selling ancillary services, training and support.

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