Developing complex software requires more than just churning out lines of code. As a software architect or developer involved in an industrial project, you must understand and be able to leverage critical software sub-disciplines such as architecture, analysis and design techniques, development process, visual modeling, and the underlying technology to be successful.
This book brings all these diverse elements together from the J2EE development perspective to provide a holistic approach for the reader. Specifically, this book tries to answer the following key questions:
· What is UML and how is it relevant to J2EE development?
· How do Java and UML relate to each other?
· What are the key concepts in software architecture?
· How does a software development process fit into the J2EE software development equation?
· How can analysis and design help you in arriving at a better J2EE application design?
· What are the key J2EE technologies, and how do they fit together?
· How can you leverage the UML for J2EE development?
Rather than reinvent the wheel, the approach taken in this book is that of bringing together known works such as Jim Conallen?s web modeling profile and the Sun Java Specification Request-26 for UML/EJB Mapping Specification.
To provide a practical illustration of the topics discussed, this book guides the readers through a sample J2EE application development project using the Rational Unified Process and the UML. A working implementation is provided. Suggestions for further enhancements are also listed to assist the readers in continuing their exploration of the UML and J2EE technologies.
Intended Audience
This book is suitable for anyone interested in learning about the UML and how it can be applied to J2EE development. Current J2EE application developers will learn how to apply the UML to J2EE application development. UML practitioners will benefit from learning about the J2EE in the context of the UML. And software professionals interested in learning both the UML and J2EE will be able to get to a productive state faster facilitated by the intertwined contextual discussion.
After reading the book, you will:
· Be able to effectively utilize the UML for developing J2EE applications
· Learn about the key J2EE technologies (EJB, JSP, Servlets) at a technical level.
· Know when to use Model 1 vs. Model 2 architecture, and situations where patterns such as value object and session bean chaining may be appropriate
· Understand software architecture concepts such as decomposition, layering, components, frameworks, patterns, and tiers
· Be able to apply techniques such as use case analysis, analysis object discovery, and analysis to design transformation to your J2EE project
· Understand the notion of software development process and the fundamentals of some of the currently popular processes
· Learn how to start using the Rational Unified Process for your J2EE project
This book only covers the Java language to the extent of providing a mapping of key Java concepts to the UML. Consequently, some familiarity with Java is assumed (knowing C++ or a similar language should be sufficient to get the basics out of the examples, though). Prior knowledge of, or experience with, the UML, J2EE, or enterprise application development is not a pre-requisite, but certainly helpful.
User review
Good overview of UML -Java mapping
This book has a good chapter 4 on UML-Java mapping which is explained very clearly. Other books tends to be bombastic and theorectical and vomitting out dry, useless high level UML jargons. Since most developers knows attrbutes and methods better than say, trying to figure out what an association link is, the mentioned chapter is invaluable. I wish the authors expanded more on UML-Java mapping as developer can then relate a diagram to the Java code. I would have given the book 5 star if it had expanded a bit on modelling XML and UML-Java mapping.
User review
Not for code junkies
This is a book I have been waiting for, a book explaining the relationship between J2EE and UML in practical terms. Whilst the information is not in depth, it is at the right level to explain the concepts clearly, and it gives practical examples. You won't find pages and pages of Java code. But you'll find a case study built up during the first 15 chapters, and nicely summarised in the final chapter.
After a few introductory chapters, 5 chapters are devoted to explaining UML. Already familiar with UML, I skimmed through this, but still picked up good information. Particularly useful background was chapter 6, `Architecture`.
The more technical chapters, 9 to 15, explain the J2EE technology in the contect of UML. I found this well explained with just enough information, with no pages `wasted` on code listings. But some Java is present, showing how UML would map to code. The different components of J2EE each has a chapter devoted to them, and the relationships between them are discussed.
All of the above is discussed in the context of RUP (Rational Unified Process), and the case study follows that process as well. The references to Conallen's WAE and the SUN standards are also very useful.
The authors should be congratulated on writing a very clear, well-edited well-organised book.
User review
Excellent Book - Great Work!
Grady Booch wrote the foreward to this book where he speaks
highly of these two authors, and I'd have to agree with his
positive assessment. I don't often give out top ratings, but in
this case I was fairly impressed.
The book addresses these two key technologies and describes in
very practical terms how to really use the UML to help create
successful J2EE-based enterprise apps. Even though most of the
chapters go into significant depth and detail, the book is still
very readable by a wide audience. I think someone who is
relatively new to either of these technologies would gain lots
from this book, and even near-gurus should be able to find many
useful items here.
The book covers UML modeling of Java servlets, JSP, and all
current types of EJBs using the latest standards and extensions,
including JSR-26 and WAE. Early chapters go through the UML
mapping for standard Java language constructs, and suggest a
streamlined version of RUP used to develop the case study during
the rest of the book. Different approaches used by popular UML
modeling tools are shown, along with some ideas on future
directions.
I was impressed by the technology coverage for the different
J2EE components. Through a close examination of the architecture
and the different mechanisms at play, the reader learns a
significant amount about how J2EE components such as EJBs work,
how they're intended to be used, when they make sense to use,
and when they don't. There's also discussions on performance,
and some of the newer features in J2EE 1.3. Both J2EE 1.2 and
the new J2EE 1.3 are covered, which amazed me given the amount
of lead time a book like this needs to be published!
Downloadable code for the case study is available from the
publisher's site. The study is fairly compact, smaller than
Sun's pet store example, but I found this enabled me to have an
easier time following the code. What impressed me here is there
is complete working code for both J2EE 1.3 and 1.2, and the
example uses true container managed entity beans. Even Sun's pet
store never seemed to get these EJBs working right.
If a second edition of this book was to be written, I'd like to
see discussions on more advanced patterns using combinations of
J2EE components, additional performance enhancing techniques,
and a larger case study using some of these advanced patterns.
Overall, this was an excellent buy for me.
User review
a nice light weight treatment of j2ee & uml
this book gives a nice coherent detailed tutorial of j2ee and uml, and how to use the two together. it's a pleasant read.
the treatment are concise and coherent, but somewhat light weight. it covers the most important concepts of both j2ee and uml. for modelling, it uses the wae and jsr26 uml extensions. it also follows a customized/simplified RUP process.
the analysis and design chapters (chapter 7 & 8) are pretty good.
the most significant drawback is the case study (chapter 16). it should have been elaborated more.
overall, its a nice attempt trying to put j2ee & uml together!
User review
it's useful
i am just searching this kind of books. I was interested in UML and J2EE for a long time, but it's so regret that no one book fit me. This book appears, it looks good.
