Chapter 1. Seam unifies Java EE

Is JSF worth a second look? Is EJB really fixed? Is it worth sticking with Java rather than jumping ship for Ruby on Rails?

With the release of Seam 2.0, you can now confidently answer yes to all of these questions. Seam is a progressive application framework for the Java Platform, Enterprise Edition (Java EE) that makes writing web-based applications simple by finally delivering on the promise of a unified component architecture. Seam builds on the innovative changes in Java EE 5 brought about primarily by the Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) 3 specification. These changes include favoring annotations over container interfaces and relying on configuration by exception rather than verbose and laborious XML descriptors. Seam tears down Java EE’s remaining heavyweight legacy by spreading EJB 3’s pivotal changes across the platform. Seam also extends the platform as designed by weaving additional functionality into the JavaServer Faces (JSF) life cycle and taps into the unified Expression Language (EL) to allow a wide range of technologies to communicate. With Seam, the pain typically associated with using Java EE has vanished and JSF, in particular, appears completely revamped and worthy of attention.

1.1. Which framework should I use?

1.2. Choosing Seam

1.3. Seam’s approach to unification

1.4. Your first swings with Seam

1.5. Seam’s core competencies

1.6. Summary