Struts 2 in Action

Description

The original Struts project revolutionized Java web development and its rapid adoption resulted in the thousands of Struts-based applications deployed worldwide. Keeping pace with new ideas and trends, Apache Struts 2 has emerged as the product of a merger between the Apache Struts and OpenSymphony WebWork projects, united in their goal to develop an easy-to-use yet feature-rich framework. Struts 2 represents a revolution in design and ease of use when compared to classic Struts. It adds exciting and powerful features such as a plugin framework, JavaServer Faces integration, and XML-free configuration.

 Struts 2 In Action introduces the Apache Struts 2 web application framework and shows you how to quickly develop professional, production-ready modern web applications. Written by Don Brown, one of the leading developers of Struts 2, Chad Davis, a passionate Struts 2 developer, along with Scott Stanlick, this book gently walks you through the key features of Struts 2 in example-driven, easy-to-digest sections.

 Struts 2 in Action delivers accurate, seasoned information that can immediately be put to work. This book is designed for working Java web developers-especially those with some background in Struts 1 or WebWork. The core content, covering key framework components such as Actions, Results, and Interceptors, includes new features like the annotation-based configuration options. You'll find chapters on Struts 2 plugins, FreeMarker, and migration from Struts 1 and WebWork 2. Finally, new topics such as the Ajax tags, Spring Framework integration, and configuration by convention give familiar subjects new depth.

CONTENTS:

Part 1 Struts 2: a brand new framework

1 Struts 2: the modern web application framework

    1.1 Web applications: a quick study

    1.2 Frameworks for web applications

    1.3 The Struts 2 framework

    1.4 Summary

2 Saying hello to Struts 2

    2.1 Declarative architecture

    2.2 A quick hello

    2.3 HelloWorld using annotations

    2.4 Summary

Part 2 Core concepts: actions, interceptors, and type conversion

3 Working with Struts 2 actions

    3.1 Introducing Struts 2 actions

    3.2 Packaging your actions

    3.3 Implementing actions

    3.4 Transferring data onto objects

    3.5 File uploading: a case study

    3.6 Summary

4 Adding workflow with interceptors

    4.1 Why intercept requests?

    4.2 Interceptors in action

    4.3 Surveying the built-in Struts 2 interceptors

    4.4 Declaring interceptors

    4.5 Building your own interceptor

    4.6 Summary

5 Data transfer: OGNL and type conversion

    5.1 Data transfer and type conversion: common tasks of the web application domain

    5.2 OGNL and Struts 2

    5.3 Built-in type converters

    5.4 Customizing type conversion

    5.5 Summary

Part 3 Building the view: tags and results

6 Building a view: tags

    6.1 Getting started

    6.2 An overview of Struts tags

    6.3 Data tags

    6.4 Control tags

    6.5 Miscellaneous tags

    6.6 Using JSTL and other native tags

    6.7 A brief primer for the OGNL expression language

    6.8 Summary

7 UI component tags

    7.1 Why we need UI component tags

    7.2 Tags, templates, and themes

    7.3 UI Component tag reference

    7.4 Summary

8 Results in detail

    8.1 Life after the action

    8.2 Commonly used result types

    8.3 JSP alternatives

    8.4 Global results

    8.5 Summary

Part 4 Improving your application

9 Integrating with Spring and Hibernate/JPA

    9.1 Why use Spring with Struts 2?

    9.2 Adding Spring to Struts 2

    9.3 Why use the Java Persistence API with Struts 2?

    9.4 Summary

10 Exploring the validation framework

    10.1 Getting familiar with the validation framework

    10.2 Wiring your actions for validation

    10.3 Writing a custom validator

    10.4 Validation framework advanced topics

    10.5 Summary

11 Understanding internationalization

    11.1 The Struts 2 framework and Java i18n

    11.2 A Struts 2 i18n demo

    11.3 Struts 2 i18n: the details

    11.4 Overriding the framework's default locale determination

    11.5 Summary

Part 5 Advanced topics and best practices

12 Extending Struts 2 with plug-ins

    12.1 Plug-in overview

    12.2 Common plug-ins

    12.3 Internal component system

    12.4 Writing a breadcrumb plug-in

    12.5 Summary

13 Best practices

    13.1 Setting up your environment 327

    13.2 Unit-testing your actions

    13.3 Maximizing reuse

    13.4 Advanced UI tag usage

    13.5 Summary

14 Migration from Struts Classic

    14.1 Translating Struts Classic knowledge

    14.2 Converting by piecemeal

    14.3 Summary

15 Advanced topics

    15.1 Advanced action usage

    15.2 Dynamic method invocation

    15.3 Using tokens to prevent duplicate form submits

    15.4 Displaying wait pages automatically

    15.5 A single action for CRUD operations

    15.6 Tiles and Struts 2

    15.7 Summary