breaking into J2EE: steep curve or wrong approach?

[hank barta]

I've done some programming in Java using the J2SE sdk and now I'd
like to get some experience with the J2EE sdk. I have an app which
uses PHP to provide a front end to a system based on information in
a MySQL database.

I'd like to recode the PHP functionality as either servlets or JSPs.

I've written a bunch of database routines in Java and tested them out
in a console app and would like to use them in a a web application.

I've downloaded and installed the J2EE sdk from Sun and have started
reviewing the tutorial. Whew! Servlets don't start until Chapter
11. The reading to get to that part is pretty dense and appears
to include a lot of information that I don't yet need. (Or do I
really need to be able to create XML files, JAX, SAX, DOC, XSLT,
parsing DTDs, and SOAP to write a 'hello world' JSP?) I'm daunted
by the quantity of information here.

I'm wondering if there is a more straight forward way to get my
feet wet with JSPs and servlets. I understand that there are other
readily available application servers like tomcat and Jboss. Are
there tutorials based on these that might make more sense for what
I want to do? (I don't even know what the name of the application
server included with the sdk is!)

If this is what I need to learn to get started with J2EE, then I'll
continue along with it. But I'm wondering if Sun just got a wee bit
carried away developing their tutorial and tried to include too much
detail for a first exposure.

I appreciate any suggestions for an easier path to enlightenment.

many thanks,
hank

 

[Shripathi Kamath]

If this is what I need to learn to get started with J2EE, then I'll
continue along with it. But I'm wondering if Sun just got a wee bit
carried away developing their tutorial and tried to include too much
detail for a first exposure.

I appreciate any suggestions for an easier path to enlightenment.

YMMV, but...

Get a good introductory book on Servlets and JSP components of the J2EE. It
would get you started in the right direction. Available from many online
stores, here is a free copy: http://pdf.coreservlets.com/

Using Java technologies from Apache is a good way to go. Certainly costs
nothing but your time.

J2EE is a huge beast, getting these basic components under your belt should
give you a good start.

HTH,

 

[Jay Shen]

try Structs or other j2ee frameworks....

 

[Ashton]

I have an app which
uses PHP to provide a front end to a system based on information in
a MySQL database.

I'd like to recode the PHP functionality as either servlets or JSPs.

J2EE is massive, but to a great degree it's safe to ignore things until
you actually have an application requirement for them.

My opinion, FWIW:

1) You need to be able to create XML files and read them (and their
DTDs) to figure out what's going on -- or going wrong -- when your
application is being loaded or executed.

2) You need to know how web (and enterprise) applications are structured
and then how to tell Ant to do it for you.

3) You need to understand servlets. You'll probably want to understand
JSP immediately after, but once you've got a servlet that can respond to
you, you'll have a good idea of what to do next.

4) Same with Struts. If you've got a couple of JSPs in place --
probably with JSTL -- and you feel like you need a bit more power, look
at Struts.

5) I like EJB/CMP for database access; some people don't. I find it a
simple and natural way to modularize an application; some people don't.

With just the above information and the JBoss/Tomcat software
combination, I would feel I had the basics for creating many kinds of
data-driven web applications.

Of course, if you *only* want "Hello, world!" you don't need any of this
stuff, right?

 

[Wendy S]

I'd like to recode the PHP functionality as either servlets or JSPs.

Try Jason Hunter's "Java Servlet Programming" book. It's getting a little
dated, but still serves as a very good introduction.