Courses
 
 
STRUTS-based enterprise web application development
 
Duration:   3 days Level:  Advanced Format:   50% hands-on
 
Description:
Struts encourages application architectures based on the Model 2 approach, which is a variation of the classic Model-View-Controller (MVC) design paradigm. The MVC framework is a proven and convenient way to generate organized, modular applications that cleanly separate logic, style, and data. This course covers the MVC framework and how to design and develop the model, view, and the controller components. We will also cover the new features of Struts which include: Struts Tag Libraries, JSTL, Dynamic ActionForms, Exception Handling, Templates and Tiles, and Struts Internationalization. Each topic is thoroughly explained in lectures and the concepts are reinforced by extensive hands-on labs.
 
After completing this course, you will acquire the knowledge and skill to:
  • Understand and explain the Jakarta Struts framework
  • Design and build Struts-based web applications
  • Use Struts Tag libraries
  • Understand JSTL framework
  • Use DynaActionForms
  • Understand Exception Handling in Struts
  • Understand Templates and Tiles that allow for separation of JSP presentation layout and JSP content
  • Understand internationalization for Struts applications
 
Topics:
1 Introduction
2 Struts Fundamentals
3 Struts Model
4 Struts Controller
5 Struts Views
6 Struts Tag Libraries
7 Struts and JSTL
8 Struts and Dynamic ActionForms
9 Struts and Exceptions
10 Templates and Tiles
11 Struts Internationalization
 
Contents:
1 Overview of J2EE
 
  • The need for distributed enterprise applications
  • The typical enterprise architecture
  • The J2EE architecture
  • Major roles in designing, developing, and deploying J2EE applications
  • J2EE Application development life cycle
  • J2EE deployment descriptors - DDs, EARs, JARs, WARs
  • J2EE-compliant Application servers : WebSphere, WebLogic, JBoss, Sun, Oracle
  • J2EE Development tools / IDE
   
2 Struts Fundamentals
 
  • Model View Controller Design Pattern (MVC)
  • MVC and Struts
  • Struts Framework and Components
  • A running example using Struts
   
3 Struts Model
 
  • Struts Development Cycle
  • Understand what a Model is in MVC and Struts
  • Using JUnit to test a Model
   
4 Struts Controller
 
  • Review of J2EE Servlet and JSP Architecture
  • Connecting Struts to J2EE Architecture
  • Overview of ActionServlet class
  • Understand the RequestProcessor class
  • RequestProcessor - Flow of control
  • How to create Action class
  • Understand Action instance lifecycle
  • Overview of Struts pre-defined Action classes
   
5 Struts Views
 
  • Understand Struts Views components
  • FormBean
  • Get an overview of JSP tags and custom tags
  • Using ActionForward
  • Using ActionErrors and ActionError
  • Hide JSPs and call them using ForwardAction
  • LinkTag
   
6 Struts Tag Libraries
 
  • Referencing Struts tags
  • Struts Tag libraries - introduction
  • HTML Tags
  • Bean Tags
  • Logic Tags
   
7 Struts and JSTL
 
  • What is JSTL
  • Configuring JSTL
  • JSTL core tag library
  • General Purpose Actions
  • Conditional Actions
  • Iterator Actions
  • URL related actions
  • Internationalization (i18n) Actions
  • Other JSTL tag libraries
  • EL (Expression Language) Overview
   
8 Struts and Dynamic ActionForms
 
  • Review - ActionForm classes
  • DynaActionForm classes
  • Runtime behavior DynaActionForm classes
  • Dynamic Action Forms and its usage
  • Types supported by DynaActionForm
   
9 Struts and Exceptions
 
  • Java and JSP Exception Handling
  • Resolving exceptions
  • Declarative Exception Handling
  • Define Global Exceptions
  • Struts Custom Exception Handler
  • Validator Framework
  • Displaying Error Messages using <html:errors> tag
   
10 Struts Templates
 
  • Templates - introduction
  • Purpose of Templates
  • Understand Tiles framework
  • Defining Page Layout
  • Using Templates from JSP pages
  • Struts Tiles tags
   
11 Struts Internationalization
 
  • Important Concepts for Internationalization
  • Locale
  • Property Resource Bundles
  • Message Resources
  • Tags
  • Limits of Struts Internationalization
 
Hands-on Labs:
1 Building and running a web application
2 Develop a Struts-based web application
3 Design Struts-based web application based on external Model
4 Working with controllers in Struts
5 Develop View component of Struts application
6 Using Struts Tag Libraries
7 Using JSTL Tags
8 Using DynaActionForms
9 Exception Handling in Struts
10 Working with Struts templates and tiles
11 Applying Internationalization
   
Prerequisites:
Experience in J2EE (Servlets and JSP) programming. Prerequisites can be satisfied by taking Eclipse University Course: "J2EE design and development".
   
Audience:
Architects, designers, analysts, and developers.