If you've adopted Java as your organizational language, you're probably using, or planning to use, some sort of multitier design to maximize maintainability while making your data store accessible to as many applications as possible. The Jakarta engine ranks as the interface server of choice in that environment, and the Jakarta Struts Framework 1.1 makes it far easier to implement multitier information systems. Programming Jakarta Struts is the best how-to documentation around--in print or on the Internet--on the subject of using Struts to their greatest potential. Chuck Cavaness's book is comprehensive, detailed, critical of its subject where appropriate, and generally invaluable to anyone implementing the Model-View-Controller (MVC) design pattern in Java with the assistance of Struts.

Thankfully, Cavaness opens with an overview of the MVC pattern with a focus on how you're meant to implement it under Struts. For anyone thinking that implementing MVC sounds like more trouble than it's worth, this clarifies why such design usually pays off in the long run. After that, it's into the particulars, which include code listings (lots of them, delightfully commented) and crystal-clear block diagrams that show the flow of messages among objects. There are also many database schema charts that show how the authors structure data in the storefront and shopping cart application that spans the whole of this volume. --David Wall

Topics covered: The Jakarta Struts Framework 1.1 and how to use it to implement the Model-View-Controller (MVC) software design pattern. All the important features of Struts 1.1 get attention, including exception handling, the validation framework, internationalization, logging, and templating with the Tiles framework.

From Book News, Inc.
Written for Java developers, this guide overviews the Struts open source framework for building web applications based on Java servlet and JavaServer Pages (JSP), and explores the components of Strut's MVC implementation, including a look at the JSP custom tags that are included as part of the framework. Later chapters address exception handling, the validator framework, tiles, logging, and packaging a Struts application with the Ant tool. The second edition covers Struts 1.1 and adds a chapter on JavaServer Faces.Copyright © 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Book Description
While the look and feel of an enterprise web application is certainly important, developers usually find themselves spending far too much time on the front-end presentation before they can get to coding the good stuff--the business logic at the heart of the program. Jakarta Struts addresses this issue by combining Java Servlets, Java ServerPages (JSP), custom tags, and messaging resources (like Java Message Service) into a unified, re-usable framework. The result is a cooperative, synergistic platform that's efficient and suitable for independent developers, large development teams, and everyone in between. The Struts Framework has become a highly popular open source project, but there's still woefully little documentation on the technology. What does exist is far too basic and lacks critical information for developers like you writing today's complex web applications. The revised and expanded Programming Jakarta Struts, 2nd Edition covers everything the successful earlier edition did--including an overview of the concepts involved in writing web applications; installation and configuration instructions for getting Struts up and running; a thorough discussion of how Struts implements the Model-View-Controller (MVC) design paradigm (known as the Model 2 approach) and how to interface with that pattern in your own applications; Logging, Validation, and Exception Handling with Struts; using Tiles; writing internationalization and localization code using Struts; and practical, real-world best practices for web applications--as well as plenty more: now fully up to date with Struts 1.1, this edition covers the latest material on tag libraries and the new JavaServerFaces (JSF) APIs and even includes all-new chapters on JSF, JSTL/EL, and security. With each enterprise system he s developed, author Chuck Cavaness has spent many grueling hours learning invaluable lessons about Struts and figuring out the dos and the don'ts of building web applications. He saves you time and headaches by sharing that invaluable real-world experience here, with his realistic, practical, here's how to do it approach to using the Struts Framework to its fullest potential.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The Jakarta Struts Framework, an open source Apache project, has become one of the most popular presentation frameworks for building web applications with Java Servlet and JavaServer Pages (JSP) technologies. It encourages application architecture based on the Model-View-Controller (MVC) design paradigm, colloquially known as the Model 2 approach. However, effective Model 2 programming is not a trivial task, and developers often find themselves confused as to the best approach to many problems. Programming Jakarta Struts is a complete guide to the Struts project, taking developers through concepts, design, and implementation. Although it starts with the basics of a Struts application and explains the Model 2 design pattern in depth, this book quickly moves to more advanced topics. Installation and setup are thoroughly documented, and every configuration option is clearly explained. JSP programming within the context of Struts is explored, with tons of practical examples that use both the standard JSP tag libraries and the Struts additions. You'll also become adept at programming multitiered applications, interacting with EJBs from Struts applications, and handling complex validation and logging through the Struts-provided packages and tools. whether you've been struggling with Struts and the sparse online documentation, or you want to get started in Model 2 programming, or you're an advanced Struts programmer wanting to fully exploit this powerful framework, this is the book you've been waiting for.

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