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FREE: Eclipse DemoCamp: Neil Bartlett on From Desktop to Web: Building Rich Client and Web applications from a single code base
From Desktop to Web: Building Rich Client and Web applications from a single code base
Neil Bartlett gives a short demo of an application which runs both as a desktop "rich client" using Eclipse RCP, and a browser-based Web client using Eclipse RAP. Over 95% of the code is reused between both versions.
Review:
Neil starts off the Eclipse DemoCamp with a talk on using RAP (Rich AJAX Platform) which allows you to create a rich client desktop application and web application from the same code-base. Some people may ask why we need “yet another web framework” but the reason for RAP is quite clear. It enables 90-95% code re-use giving developers much less work in developing web and desktop applications.
RAP allows one application to target both desktops and the web. It involves working completely in Java which is then compiled into OSGi bundles. It can then be bundled with the RAP API for the web or the RCP API for the desktop. The sweet spot for this technology is finding an application that enables you to use as much of the API that is shared between both technologies (RAP and RCP).
Neil presents a demonstration usage of RAP, creating a banking application that can process transactions and contains simple validation rules within procedures. By showing both the desktop and the web application it's clear how versatile the technology is with my of the independent code coming from customising the application for a web browser and initialising the application on the desktop. All of the core functionality is maintained in the same code.
Neil also mentioned during the Q&A that there are quite a few big companies using this technology, indicating that it is making its way into the industry. It was also mentioned that there is quite high network usage meaning it is most suited to the corporate environment where you have have one department that uses the application a lot required the RCP version where the rest of the company uses the RAP version (for example a timesheet application).
Review by David Mulholland
ABOUT NEIL BARTLETT
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Neil is a developer, consultant and trainer
specialising in OSGi and Eclipse, and he is currently working for Sun
Microsystems on enhancing the tooling for JavaFX in Eclipse.
More about Neil Bartlett
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ABOUT THE ECLIPSE DEMOCAMP
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The Eclipse DemoCamps are a showcase all of the cool and interesting
technology being built by the Eclipse community. Come along to meet
Eclipse enthusiasts and experts in London. You don't need to be a
software developer to attend!
More about the Eclipse DemoCamp
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PODCAST FROM DESKTOP TO WEB: BUILDING RICH CLIENT AND WEB APPLICATIONS FROM A SINGLE CODE BASE
This session took part at the FREE: Eclipse DemoCamp. You can view the other 7 podcasts here.
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