The Web Framework Evaluation - Part 02

In this article series, we are going to explore web frameworks from a Java point of view. It covers Java based frameworks and frameworks based on scripting languages that can run inside of a Java application server. The latter are for example Ruby, Python, PHP, Groovy based frameworks.� This article is taken from my eBook 'The Web Framework Evaluation'.

You can get the eBook at http://www.laliluna.de/shop.

Difference between the free article and the eBook in PDF format.

• eBook is printable
• eBook includes the upcoming detailed framework evaluations about 1-2 months earlier
• eBook includes a number of performance and load tests showing rendering performance and memory consumption under load.

Defining terms

We need to define a couple of terms to make this article look more impressive and because it simplifies communication.

Rich Internet Application (RIA) is the original term (Macromedia) or Rich Interactive Application is the modified term (Microsoft). We will not use it as the original RIA is limited to plugin based technologies.

Web 2.0 is another widely used term, which applies to technical characteristics of today's web applications and at the same time to usage forms of the Internet like wikiing, blogging and whatever. We will not use it because it is just to ambiguous and we need something related to technology.

Let's create a new collection of definitions.

Classic web application
A classic web application is an application running in a web browser. It is not interactive but reactive. That means that it waits until the user has clicked a hyper link or submitted a form before it will perform an action. It does not require a browser plugin.

Interactive web application
An interactive web application is an application, which interacts with the user while he is typing, moving his mouse or just waiting. It can be rendered directly by the browser or by a plugin which was started by the browser.

Single page rendered web application
Acronym: SingleP or SingleP web app
A SingleP web application is an application where the user opens a single URL in his browser and the application is started. He will not change the URL while he is using the application, but all dialogs will be rendered while he is staying on the same URL. The application can open multiple windows.
Comment
At the time of writing (2009) a SingleP requires either Ajax or a browser plugin.

Multiple page rendered web application
Acronym: MultiP or MultiP web app
A MultiP web application is an application where the user opens an URL to start the application. While he is using the application he follows hyper links or submits data and the application might change the URL. The application follows the request � response cycle, you can find in classic web applications.