User manual APPLE WEBOBJECTS 5 REVIEWER GUIDE

[. . . ] WebObjects 5 WebObjects 5 Reviewer's Guide June 2001 2 Contents 3 Introduction 4 The WebObjects 5 Architecture 5 Key Features 5 Automated data access with Enterprise Objects 5 Streamlined page generation with Web Components 6 Rich Java clients using EOAssociations 7 Integrated tools 9 WebObjects 5 Advantages 9 Rapid time to market 9 Built-in quality 10 Scalable Java deployment 10 Market-proven solutions 11 Positioning and Target Customers 11 Education 11 Publishing 12 Business 13 WebObjects 5 Background 13 Born at NeXT 13 Joining Apple 14 Moving to Java 15 Pricing and Availability 16 System Requirements 16 For more information 3 Introduction WebObjects 5 is the powerful new release of Apple's award-winning application server--now written in the language of the Internet: Java. This allows WebObjects to run on virtually any server; makes it easily accessible to millions of Java programmers; and enables it to easily integrate and interoperate with other Java-based solutions such as EJB containers, servlets, ORBS, and web services. The combination of a Java runtime with advanced native tools for Mac OS X and Windows 2000 makes WebObjects the obvious environment for customers needing rapid development of flexible, scalable web applications. Built using the same NeXT-derived tools that spawned the World Wide Web, the mature, fifthgeneration WebObjects frameworks also have the Xerces parser from the Apache Software Foundation integrated directly into them. [. . . ] Its modular architecture enables database configuration, Java programming, and page design to proceed in parallel. Its rich object-oriented frameworks do most of the hard work for you, and its integrated tools streamline the process of application design and development. An added bonus is the ability to create fully functional prototypes in seconds using the Direct to Web and Direct to Java Client assistants. Leveraging the power of the WebObjects frameworks, these tools apply heuristics to the data model to define a complete three-tier HTML or Java application instantly. The appearance of the application is driven by a sophisticated rule engine, which can be configured inside the application by using Java applets or with the comprehensive RuleEditor included in the WebObjects developer tools. These prototypes allow you to browse and edit the database, and can provide a useful starting point for creating more sophisticated interfaces. Built-in quality Developers are all too familiar with Murphy's law--namely, that anything that can go wrong will go wrong. WebObjects provides "Murphy protection" by reducing the number of things that can possibly go wrong. The WebObjects frameworks were created by what many people consider the best object-oriented design team in the history of our industry. Now, in their fifth generation, these frameworks have been fine-tuned to handle all the basic tasks of application server development for you. Because the vast majority of a WebObjects application is well-tested framework code--not generated code--there's very little application-specific code to debug. Also, the isolation of data, logic, and presentation elements greatly improves both the flexibility and security of your product. Key information such as database referential integrity constraints (identifying dependencies between objects) is embedded directly in the model, rather than being wholly dependent on programmer discipline. Reviewer's Guide WebObjects 5 10 Scalable Java deployment Most exciting of all, with this release, the power of WebObjects is now fully accessible to Java programmers. The WebObjects runtime is written to the Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition v1. 3, allowing it to run virtually anywhere. Now that WebObjects is available on Java, it is instantly familiar and accessible to the millions of programmers who prefer that language. The use of standard Java also makes it easy for WebObjects to interoperate with other Java solutions, such as EJB containers, servlets, ORBS, and web services. Another benefit is that the Xerces-J XML parser from the Apache Software Foundation is integrated directly into WebObjects. WebObjects uses this parser to import and export XML data streams directly into your application, where you can manipulate the data using the power of Enterprise Objects. Compared to other solutions in this price range, WebObjects has the scalability to grow along with your business. WebObjects makes it easy to dynamically add, manage, and remove servers in order to handle all your deployment needs. Market-proven solutions These benefits are not just empty theory. In its five years of life, WebObjects has proven itself time and time again as having the most mature object-oriented application server frameworks. This leadership has been recognized by customers ranging from Apple's core markets of education and creative professionals to Fortune 500 corporations. The preeminence of WebObjects is reflected in the wide range of awards it has received, from best server to best tools to product of the year. [. . . ] Now that WebObjects 5 is available in Java and runs on Apple's new UNIX-based Mac OS X operating system, we will be working hard to make the Java developer community aware of the incredible power of WebObjects. WebObjects had a dedicated track at Apple's WorldWide Developers Conference in May 2001 that included 17 separate sessions, and it was a prominent part of Apple's booth at JavaONE. Time-limited WebObjects evaluation CDs and downloads are being distributed by the Apple Developer Connection, even to free online members. The new Mac OS X Server (v10. 0) includes a full deployment license for WebObjects, making it the first server software platform to include an enterprise-scale web application server. [. . . ]