Struts 2006
An Embarrassment of Riches
Struts University Series
Abstract
Apache Struts is a hotbed of activity.
Struts Action 1.3, Struts Shale,
Struts OverDrive, Struts Ti.
Why so many frameworks? How are they
different? Why are they all called Struts? Which
is the best choice for my next project?
In this session, we step back and look at Struts
through a wide-angle lens.
The Story So Far
Struts 0.5 – May 2000 - Prototype release
Struts 1.0 – Jun 2001 - Initial release
Struts 1.1 – Jun 2003 - Commons release
Struts 1.2 – Dec 2004 - Wildcard release
Struts 1.3 – xxx 2006 - Subproject release
The Upcoming 1.3 Release
Divided project into subprojects
Action, Apps, EL, Extras, Site, Taglibs, Tiles
Faces
Scripting (new)
Flow (new)
Shale (new)
Subprojects are the "unit of release"
Seven subprojects from 1.2 are bundled as
"Struts Action Library"
Complete Maven build
Struts Action 1.3
Composable Request Processor
Arbitrary configuration properties
Command and Catalog elements
"Extends" attribute
"isCommitted" Exception Handling
Postback Actions
Wildcard ActionConfig properties
Request Processor for 1.2
public void process(HttpServletRequest request,
HttpServletResponse response)
throws IOException, ServletException {
processLocale(request, response);
if (!processRoles(request, response, mapping)) {
return;
}
/// ...
ActionForward forward =
processActionPerform(request, response,
action, form, mapping);
processForwardConfig(request, response, forward);
}
Composable Request Processor for 1.3
<chain name="process-action">
<command className= "...SelectLocale"/>
<command className= "...AuthorizeAction"/>
<!-- ... -->
<command className= "...CreateAction"/>
<command className= "...ExecuteAction"/>
</chain>
Arbitrary Configuration Attributes
<action path="/EditSubscription"
extends="Editor">
<set-property key="foo" value="bar"
/>
</action>
public ActionForward execute(
ActionMapping mapping,
ActionForm form,
HttpServletRequest request,
HttpServletResponse response)
throws Exception {
string foo = getProperty("foo");
// ...
Catalog and Command elements
catalog - Name of commons-chain catalog for command.
command - Name of commons-chain command which
should be looked up and executed as part of servicing this
request.
Available for both the Controller and any Action Mapping
<controller
inputForward="true"
catalog="Foo"
command="FooBar"
/>
"extends" attribute
<struts-config>
<form-beans>
<form-bean name="registrationForm"
type="org.apache.struts.action.DynaValidatorForm">
<form-property name="firstName" type="java.lang.String" />
<form-property name="lastName" type="java.lang.String" />
</form-bean>
<form-bean name="managerRegistrationForm"
type="org.apache.struts.action.DynaValidatorForm"
extends="registrationForm">
<form-property name="department" type="java.lang.String"
/>
</form-bean>
</form-beans>
...
</struts-config>
"isCommitted" Exception Handling
<exception
key="GlobalExceptionHandler.default"
type="java.lang.Exception"
path="/ErrorPage.jsp">
<set-property key="INCLUDE_PATH"
value="/error.jsp" />
</exception>
<exception
key="GlobalExceptionHandler.default"
type="java.lang.Exception"
path="/ErrorPage.jsp">
<set-property key="SILENT_IF_COMMITTED"
value="true" />
</exception>
PostBack Actions
The action attribute of the Form taglib is now optional.
If omitted, the original URI of the original request is used.
<html:form
onsubmit="return validateLogonForm(this);">
Wildcard ActionConfig properties
Wildcards (introduced in 1.2) can now be used in the
properties of an ActionConfig.
This makes it easier to pass multiple request-time values to
the Action without complicating the "parameter" attribute.
<action path="/Save*"
name="Save{1}"
extends="BaseSave">
<set-properties key="Save" value="{1}"/>
</action>
New Project Organization
Struts Action Library
Action - Controller and Validator
Apps - Example applications
EL - The JSTL EL extended JSP taglibs
Extras - Optional Actions and Plugins
Site - The top-level Struts website
Taglibs - The original Struts JSP taglibs
Tiles - The Tiles templating framework
New Project Organization
Building on Struts Action
Scripting - Scripted Actions using BSF
Flow - Continuation-based process flow
Faces - Utilize Struts Actions via JSF
New Horizons
Shale – MVC2 framework based on JSF
OverDrive – C# framework for ASP.NET
Action 2.x – Struts only better
Struts Scripting
Implement Actions with JavaScript,
BeanShell, Groovy, Jython, etc.
<action path="/logoff"
type="org.apache.struts.bsf.ScriptAction"
parameter="/WEB-INF/scripts/Logoff.bsh">
<forward name="success" path="/index.jsp"/>
</action>
Struts Flow
Introduces server-side, Continuations-based
JavaScript flows
function login() {
while (struts.sessionScope["curUser"] == null) {
forwardAndWait("loginForm", {"error" : error});
user = struts.param["user"];
passwd = struts.param["passwd"];
if (userManager.login(user, passwd)) {
struts.sessionScope["curUser"] = user;
} else error = "Invalid login, please try again";
}
}
Struts Shale
Web framework based on JSF
Created by Craig McClanahan
Provides a "Front Controller" layer
Like Struts Action
Shale and Action are both first-class
citizen of Apache Struts
One project, two frameworks
Struts OverDrive
Unofficial whiteboard proposal
Being developed with C# for ASP.NET
Business logic framework
Based on Commons Chain of Responsibility
Reduces complex business logic
Single command or chain of commands
Handles data conversion, formatting,
validation, localization
Exposed through a Helper object
Future of Action 1.x
Apache Struts is a set of products, each
with its own label and lifecycle
Struts Action 1.x line has been
evolutionary not revolutionary
Deprecate, Release, Remove
Same codebase, same major release
Struts 2006
WebWork Merger
Struts University Series
Abstract
Apache Struts,
the leading web application framework for Java,
and Open Symphony WebWork,
a leader in technical innovation,
are working to merge their
communities and codebases.
The Story So Far
WebWork 1.0 – Mar 2002 – Initial release
WebWork 1.2 – Aug 2002 – OS release
WebWork 1.4 – Nov 2003
WebWork 2.0 – Feb 2004 – XWork release
WebWork 2.1 – Sep 2005
WebWork 2.2 – Dec 2005 (Beta 4)
WebWork joining Struts
October 2005
Java Web Alignment Group
November 2005
Mailing list announcements
December 2005
ApacheCon announcement
Migration
Well-paved migration paths
Tools
Examples
Dual Processors, Shared Resources
Migration
Tools for source migration
Work in progress
Examples for developer migration
MailReader
IBATIS JPetstore
and others
Migration
Dual processors / Shared resources
*.do – Struts Action 1.x
*.action – Struts Action 2.x
What breaks? -- nothing!
Brave New World
Familiar action-centric paradigm
Interface based
POJO forms and actions
HTTP independence
Explicit AJAX support using Dojo
Direct support for Action Chaining
Continuations
Extensible response types
Action 2.x RoadMap
Phase 1
WebWork 2.2 codebase,
Struts Action 1.x migration tools,
Commons Chain integration.
Phase 2
Zero XML configuration
Annotated stateful POJO controllers
Dialog / workflow support
Struts Ti – Phase 2
Exploring how to simplify development of
MVC web applications
Prefers convention over configuration
Including features like annotations and
automatic compilation
Builds on WebWork, Beehive, and Spring
Still in the design phase although working
code and examples are available
Struts Action Glossary
Actions – Actions
ActionForms – Action properties
Or POJOs
Commons Chain -- XWork Interceptors
Request Processor – Interceptor Stack
Per Action
Final Thoughts
Apache Struts is both evolving and
plunging ahead
Struts Action 1.x will being actively
developed and supported for a long time
Offering both Shale and Action future-
proofs Apache Struts
Bottom line: use what works for you.
Struts University Series
