users@glassfish.java.net

Re: Can GlassFish 2 do what Tomcat was able to do ?

From: Ryan de Laplante <ryan_at_ijws.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2008 16:38:32 -0400

Q Master wrote:
> Thanks Ryan for the tips and links!
>
> Couple of additional question
> - would GF-v3 be good to test with ? I heard will be release in May next year
>
http://wiki.glassfish.java.net/Wiki.jsp?page=GlassFishV3Schedule

According to the schedule, the "Prelude" version will be released at the
end of October (29th). This will be a Java EE 5 version, and I don't
know how much functionality from V2 will be missing (if any). The
version coming out in May will be a Java EE 6 application server.

I continue to use V2 for now. I haven't looked at V3 much although I am
really looking forward to the modular architecture which makes it load
only what it needs into memory on demand. I will be looking at V3 more
on my next project.


> - the compile on save think would only work on V3 + NB6.5 right ?
>
Compile on save is a NetBeans 6.5 feature unrelated to GlassFish. For
Java SE projects it compiles changed .java files whenever you press
save. This is a feature Eclipse has had for a very long time, and many
Eclipse users have identified this feature as an adoption blocker for
NetBeans.

When working with Java EE projects such as web applications, it "Deploys
on Save". If you use directory deployment (exploded .war, only changed
files are updated) then this can be a productivity booster. In this
thread I read that the Eclipse plugin also supports directory
deployment. I doubt it deploys when you save a file though. It's just
one extra step, tell Eclipse to deploy when you want to try it. If you
are using directory deployment then it should be very quick.


To be honest I haven't used directory deployment much because I work on
Window and have been using the Woodstock JSF components. Whenever my
application uses the components, there is some kind of file locking
issue. I forget the exact details but that prevented me from using
directory deploy, and I re deploy my whole application whenever I want
to try it. I remember it not being a problem when I used a plain .war
file, but when I put it inside a .ear file there is a problem.


I recommend you spend some time evaluating GlassFish V3 and the Eclipse
plugin's directory deploy feature. Make sure to give feedback on this
mailing list. We have been using GlassFish V2 in production for a year
now and are very happy with it.


Thanks,
Ryan

> Ryan de Laplante wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> I think the feature you are describing is called "Directory
>> Deployment" in GlassFish and NetBeans:
>>
>> http://blogs.sun.com/theaquarium/entry/fast_directory_deployment_in_glassfish
>>
>> https://glassfish.dev.java.net/javaee5/deployment/#0.0.0.0.Packaging%20Applications%20for%20Deployment|outline
>>
>>
>> Also read about NetBeans 6.5's new compile on save feature and how it
>> relates to class reloading support, debugging, etc.
>>
>> http://wiki.netbeans.org/CompileOnSave#section-CompileOnSave-JavaEE
>>
>>
>> Ryan
>>
>>
>> Q Master wrote:
>>
>>> Hello all!
>>>
>>> Coming from Tomcat world I would like to asked few question related
>>> to what I like to call "Zero Down Time" while using an application
>>> server and by that I mean:
>>> - coding as I debug, having the class loader picking up the changes
>>> on the fly (Class Change Aware Classloader)
>>> - debug and test without deploy - just point the GF to the project -
>>> project that is reflects an J2EE app in an exploded format.
>>>
>>> I doubt this is possible but I would stand corrected if you prove my
>>> assumption wrong!
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Q
>>>