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I wrapped up my second series of blog posts related to GWT and Spring.  It took me longer that expected because it's been really tough to find the time, but I'm so glad I finished it in 2009.  In this series I discuss using GWT RPC instead of JSON (see my original series) for messaging between GWT front-end and a Spring/Java back-end application.  I go on to discuss an extension to Skyway Builder to automate the process of making Spring Services accessible as GWT RPC services.  In the process I give an overview of developing extensions for Skyway Builder and I highlight the most relevant implementation details.  Finally I describe where you can download the GWT extension and how to use the extension.

1. Skyway Builder extension for GWT – spring4gwt and GWT event buses
2. Skyway Builder GWT Extension – High-level Implementation
3. Skyway Builder GWT Extension – Detailed Implementation
4. GWT RPC with Spring Extension – Download, Install and Use

Recently I've been dabbling in a few different RIA frameworks and AJAX libraries, and it's mind boggling the number of choices there are.  Regardless of the tools, frameworks or libraries that you choose to use, there is a fundamental requirement to integrate with server-side logic.  In the Java space there are various ways to implement the server logic, and implementing services using Spring is a very popular choice.  However RIA and AJAX  applications aren't inherently compatible with Spring services.  This problem isn't unique to Java and Spring....all server-side technologies suffer from the same problem.  In all cases there is some additional infrastructure required to help RIA and AJAX consume server-side logic, and in the Java space there are a variety of options.  Direct Web Remoting (DWR) is one choice, and after working with it for a few days I think it's probably one of the best choices.

DWR makes it very easy to expose your server-side Java and Spring logic to javascript based applications.  That makes DWR complimentary with just about any AJAX framework out there.  In another excellent example of code generation, DWR will generate infrastructure to facilitate the communication between AJAX-based applications and server-side logic using javascript and JSON, the linga franca of AJAX.  Over the next series of blog posts I will cover building Spring services, adding DWR to AJAX enable the services, and building an AJAX front-end to consume the services.  As you've come to expect from me, at the end I will have an Skyway Builder project that you download and use for yourself in Eclipse.