Client-Server Web Apps with JavaScript and Java

As a Java programmer, how can you tackle the disruptive client-server approach to web development? With this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn how today’s client-side technologies and web APIs work with various Java tools. Author Casimir Saternos provides the big picture of client-server development, and then takes you through many practical client-server architectures. You’ll work with hands-on projects in several chapters to get a feel for the topics discussed.

User habits, technologies, and development methods have drastically altered web app design in recent years. But the Web itself hasn’t changed. This book shows you how to build apps that conform to the web’s underlying architecture.

• Learn the advantages of using separate client and server tiers, including code organization and speedy prototyping
• Explore the major tools, frameworks, and starter projects used in JavaScript development
• Dive into web API design and REST style of software architecture
• Understand Java’s alternatives to traditional packaging methods and application server deployment
• Build projects with lightweight servers, using jQuery with Jython, and Sinatra with Angular
• Create client-server web apps with traditional Java web application servers and libraries

Table of Contents

Chapter 1. Change Begets Change
Chapter 2. JavaScript and JavaScript Tools
Chapter 3. REST and JSON
Chapter 4. Java Tools
Chapter 5. Client-Side Frameworks
Chapter 6. Java Web API Servers
Chapter 7. Rapid Development Practices
Chapter 8. API Design
Chapter 9. jQuery and Jython
Chapter 10. JRuby and Angular
Chapter 11. Packaging and Deployment
Chapter 12. Virtualization
Chapter 13. Testing and Documentation
Chapter 14. Conclusion
Appendix A. JRuby IRB and Java API
Appendix B. RESTful Web API Summary
Appendix C. References