Download
FAQ
History
HomeHomeNext API
Search
Feedback
Divider

Introduction to Interactive Web Application Technologies

Stephanie Bodoff

In the Java 2 platform, Web components are the foundation technology for providing dynamic, user-oriented Web content. The first type of Web components introduced were Java Servlets. Java Servlets provided a portable, efficient way to extend the functionality of Web servers. Soon after, JavaServer Pages (JSP) technology, which defined another type of Web component, was introduced. JavaServer Pages technology provides a more natural mechanism for mixing static and dynamic Web content.

The interaction between Web client and a Java-technology based Web application is illustrated in Figure 2-1.The client sends an HTTP request to the Web server. A Web server that implements Java Servlet and JavaServer Pages technology converts the request into an HTTPServletRequest object. This object is delivered to a Web component which may interact with JavaBeans components or a database to generate dynamic content. The Web component may then generate an HTTPServletResponse or it may pass the request to another Web component. Eventually, the response is generated, and Web server returns it to the client.

Java Web Application Request Handling

Figure 2-1 Java Web Application Request Handling

Since the introduction of Java Servlet and JSP technology, other Java technologies and frameworks for building interactive Web applications have been developed. These technologies and their relationships are illustrated in Figure 2-2.

Java Web Application Technologies

Figure 2-2 Java Web Application Technologies

Notice that Java Servlet technology is the foundation. Each technology adds a level of abstraction that makes Web application prototyping and development faster and the Web applications themselves more maintainable, scalable, and robust. This chapter starts off with an introduction to interactive Web application architectures. Then we provide an introduction to each of the technologies and summarize their roles in developing interactive Web applications. Later chapters in this tutorial describe how to use the technologies to develop interactive Web applications.

Divider
Download
FAQ
History
HomeHomeNext API
Search
Feedback
Divider

All of the material in The Java(TM) Web Services Tutorial is copyright-protected and may not be published in other works without express written permission from Sun Microsystems.