Apple WebObjects 5 - Manual (Page 95)

C H A P T E R 8
Choosing Your Approach
Summary 95
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Apple Computer, Inc. January 2002
Adding Rapid Development
The WebObjects HTML-based and Direct to Web approaches can be combined in
many ways. You can start with a Direct to Web application, freeze and customize
pages, and add your own pages. You can also start with a HTML-based application
and link its components with Direct to Web pages.
Direct to Web also provides reusable components, of which the edit and list
components are used the most. If your application employs forms and lists that
work with enterprise objects, these components can save you a tremendous amount
of time.
You can also mix Java Client and Direct to Java Client applications. If you’re
developing a Java Client application and you need a Direct to Java Client controller
(a window that edits an enterprise object, for example), you can easily instantiate
one. Also, you can freeze an interface in Direct to Java Client and edit it with
Interface Builder.
Summary
The advantages and disadvantages of the four WebObjects development
approaches are summarized in the following paragraphs.
The primary advantage of the WebObjects HTML-based approach is its portability.
Any user with a Web-enabled computer and a Web browser can use the application.
Its disadvantages are the limitations of the HTML-based user interface—delays due
to round trips to the server and a limited widget set.
Direct to Web has the same advantages and limitations of the WebObjects
HTML-based approach. However, it also allows you to develop data-driven
applications extremely quickly. The downside of Direct to Web is that it generates
a particular user interface that may not be suitable for your application.
Java Client applications provide the rich and fast user interfaces of client-server
desktop applications. The disadvantage of this approach is portability. You need to
install or download the application on the user’s computer.