How GWT makes a difference in AJAX programming

[P Lavti]

Hi Prabhakar,

I am a beginner to AJAX programming. I have some question regarding GWT:
-How is it different than normal AJAX programming?
-What are the special features provided by it?
-How does it make AJAX programming more useful and easier than the simple AJAX programming? Please explain with one or two examples.
-Is there any overhead in using GWT? Any situation where it is preferred not to use GWT?

Thanks.

[Muhammad Saifuddin]

Originally posted by P Lavti:

-How is it different than normal AJAX programming?

better to call it "Techniques".

[Prabhakar Chaganti]

- You use Java to write your AJAX code and not Javascript.

- It is a great way to leverage your java skills, provides you with the environment to write and debug your AJAX app in Eclipse, has unit testing support, and great browser compatibility. These are just some of the features. You can find a much longer list on the GWT site.

- It really depends on what you are trying to do and your skill level.

- It compares quite well with AJAX applications developed using hand written Javascript. I don't have any numbers but here is a posting from the GWT group about a large site developed using it:
http://groups.google.com/group/Google-Web-Toolkit/browse_thread/thread/fac0659f41496e40/43e9c7358a40811b?lnk=gst&q=large+site&rnum=1#43e9c7358a40811b

HTH
thanks
prabhakar

[P Lavti]

You use Java to write your AJAX code and not Javascript.

Thats really great. Using Java to code your Javascript that too with debug environment in eclipse. I am very keen to dig more about GWT

Can GWT be used for normal Javascript programming which doesn't use AJAX Techniques?

[Prabhakar Chaganti]

Yes. You could certainly use it that way, but doesn't everyone want to do AJAX all the time these days :-)

[Frank Silbermann]

What are the design implications of the architecture choice of GWT, as compared with Echo2? My impression is that GWT generates code that runs on the browser, whereas Echo2 turns the browser into a graphics terminal for display of GUI components that are actually running on the server.\

Even though both frameworks provide AJAX capabilities and both are programmed purely in Java, it seems to me that the difference between the two approaches might result in profound differences in the way web applications are designed.

[Prabhakar Chaganti]

You are absolutley correct. Even though both frameworks let the developer stay completely in the world of Java, the end result is that GWT compiles your Java code to HTML and Javascript that runs on your client web browser, while Echo2 runs your Java code on the server. They are both very unique ways of designing web applications and have the potential to completely change the way we create Java web apps. I have not used Echo2. Here is Echo2 creator Tod Liebeck's take on the different approaches taken by these two frameworks.

http://www.theserverside.com/news/thread.tss?thread_id=40804

thanks
prabhakar