XML Rich Client Technology Strengthens Java

Computerworld - Which platform to use, Java or .Net? This is one of the most frequently asked questions by developers today. Java has been widely adopted because of its overwhelming benefits on the server side in comparison with .Net. However, Java has less to offer on the client side, while .Net has made inroads into the enterprise by leveraging its stronger rich-client capabilities. An alternative solution for enterprise-scale, Internet application development is the emerging XML-based rich-client technology.

.Net Erosion From the Client Side

There are strong reasons why Java is the platform of choice for server-side computing. Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) is an open-standards-based platform that enables open integration. Java enjoys broad industry support, ranging from vendors such as IBM, Sun Microsystems Inc. and Oracle Corp. to upstarts like Nexaweb Technologies Inc. and Sonic Software Corp. J2EE is cross-platform, giving customers the freedom to deploy into different environments. J2EE has proven enterprise strength. By comparison, .Net has obvious limitations — it's restricted to Windows deployment, is a single-vendor product and lacks industry support from other vendors to meet enterprise requirements.

On the other hand, .Net has stronger client-side capabilities than Java. Java Abstract Window Toolkit (AWT) is based on architecture that offers limited out-of-box capability. Java Swing offers better out-of-box functionality but is complex and difficult to use. It's possible to develop Java applications with a rich look and feel using AWT or Swing, but complexity and developer skill requirements are high. In contrast, the barriers to developing strong .Net client applications are lower. Typical corporate developers can easily develop sophisticated Visual Basic .Net desktop applications with a professional look and feel.

Another option is to develop a thin-client application using HTML. HTML applications are "zero install" thin-client applications, while both Java and .Net client applications have a heavy client-side footprint and require a significant download. In addition to solving network bandwidth problems, zero-install translates directly to lower maintenance and support costs. The skill-set requirement and complexity of HTML is much lower than both .Net and Java. Unfortunately, HTML isn't suitable for handling the level of complexity, scale and time sensitivity required by enterprise applications. For applications with nonlinear workflow, complex integration, large data sets or time criticality, Java or .Net rich clients have been the only viable options.

Most business applications are user-oriented. Client-side issues such as look and feel, richness and performance directly affect business-user productivity. As a result, client-side choice can influence server-side architecture decisions. Because Java doesn't have a compelling solution on the client side, many applications are written using .Net. Eventually, this could lead to a greater adoption of .Net for easier integration and management, eventually eroding J2EE's market share.