Java and Web 2.0

[Ravi Ramnath]

(from what i read and know)Java EE is used mostly in services industry for developing enterprise solutions where as product companies in web 2.0 domain prefer PHP,not Java.(eg Yahoo uses PHP,google uses Python).Why Java EE is not preferred/used for developing web 2.0 apps even though being a matured technology ??

[Bear Bibeault]

The barrier to entry of php is much lower than that of J2EE. So you'll see a lot of novices using it, or companies that want to employ cheap novice labor.

Nothing prevents Java from being used as the server-side of so-called "Web 2.0" apps.

[Ravi Ramnath]

..or companies that want to employ cheap novice labor

This could be true in case of new/startup web 2.0 companies but we are also aware of well paying established product companies

Nothing prevents Java from being used as the server-side of so-called "Web 2.0" apps.

I agree.I am also aware of different frameworks available for developing ajax apps with JSF.But then,why there are no big examples of web 2.0 apps with Java ,as we know of google/yahoo apps using PHP ?
[ July 24, 2008: Message edited by: Ravindra Harige ]

[Zip Ped]

Ravindra,

I would like to point out that both Yahoo and Google do use Java apart from Python, PHP or Perl. Some of the biggest online retailers also use Java and Java EE technologies.

[Ulf Dittmer]

Java EE is used mostly in services industry for developing enterprise solutions where as product companies in web 2.0 domain prefer PHP, not Java.[/QB]

I don't think that this is necessarily the case. There are reasons why Java sites are less visible than others (e.g. the fact that Java web apps make it very easy to hide the .jsp extension, something that all modern framework do). That may give a wrong impression.

[arulk pillai]

There are reasons why Java sites are less visible than others (e.g. the fact that Java web apps make it very easy to hide the .jsp extension, something that all modern framework do). That may give a wrong impression.

To add more If you use facelets, you don't need JSPs at all. just .xhtml will do.

[Ravi Ramnath]

@Kailash: I am not denying that Java is not at all used.Yes,it is used but for developing some components of the main application.
(eg. Flickr uses Java for node service see here)
The point I want to make is- LAMP is usually the preferred platform for developing most of large web 2.0 apps ref
The question remains: why not J2EE?

There are reasons why Java sites are less visible than others (e.g. the fact that Java web apps make it very easy to hide the .jsp extension, something that all modern framework do). That may give a wrong impression.

To add more If you use facelets, you don't need JSPs at all. just .xhtml will do

Extension hiding can also be done in PHP.
But it'd be wrong approach to identify the underlying technology of sites on basis of extensions.

[Tim Holloway]

The main reason what scriptable languages are common for Web 2.0 apps is that (whether it's a good idea or not), everyone wants to get out the Next Big Thing as quick as possible.

JEE has some significant advantages - it's performant, it's secure, it scales well, but it gets a lot of these advantages by requiring careful design, and that slows down the process.

With a system such as PHP, RoR or Django, you don't have to sync up all the data types, you don't have a compile-and-build cycle, you just code, test, crash, edit, code, test, crash. etc. until you have an app. If nothing else it "looks" productive, since you're always typing away at something instead of "just sitting there" (i. e.: thinking).

On the whole I prefer the ability to sleep well at night that I get from using a more rigorous platform, but not everything needs to be ultra-reliable and ultra-secure, so I do PHP or whatever on occasion myself. Plus, they're good prototyping environments if you believe in Fred Brook's advice on "Plan one to throw away".
[ July 25, 2008: Message edited by: Tim Holloway ]

[Cameron Wallace McKenzie]

WebSphere Portal Server has been Web 2.0 for a long time now, and you don't get much heavier on the server-side Jave environment than WebSphere Portal Server, which piggybacks on IBM massive and powerful J2EE WebSphere Application Server.

Web 2.0 on the Java side is definitely alive and well. Check out this video from youtube:

WebSphere Portal Server and Web 2.0 Development

-Cameron mcKenzie