Expert One-on-One J2EE Design and Development
Author: Rod Johnson
List Price: $59.99
Our Price: Click to see the latest and low price
ISBN: 0764543857
Publisher: Wrox (23 October, 2002)
Sales Rank: 3,138
Average Customer Rating: 4.94 out of 5
Customer Reviews
Rating: 5 out of 5
A book on solutions, not specifications
The real differentiator of this book is that its focus is on how to use J2EE to solve real-world problems, rather than providing an overview of the J2EE specification itself. As such, it's a much more pragmatic approach to using J2EE than the other books I've read on the subject. The author starts by taking high-level perspective on the subject, showing the different design considerations that need to be applied when choosing which J2EE technologies to use. A case study (a ticket booking system) is described and elaborated on throughout the book, showing how these design considerations affect a real-world solution.
The book also provides a load of coding tips I found useful, from better use of reflection, to judicious use of design patterns, to how to minimise your refactoring. The author assumes the reader is an experienced developer, so doesn't focus on rudimentary Java and architecture. I found this useful, but it means the book is more focussed to a specific audience.
Amazingly, the book also provides an entire framework based on J2EE on which you can put your application logic. My only complaint is that this is not included in a companion CD - you have to download it.
Overall, the book works because it shows you how build solutions, not just understand the technology.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Simply Amazing
Even though this book is named "J2EE design and development", it seems to be much more than that. This seems to be the book in which the author attempted to put, in a crystallized form, most of his expertise not just in J2EE (that would be trivial), but in programming and (particularly) architecture in general. Given that the author is a true expert in the field (this is clear after reading just a few pages), this book has a value beyond anything I can express here in my words. I learned from this book more than from any other book on programming and architecture, with a possible exception of GOF "Design Patterns" classics.No other book on web programming that I know of comes even close to this one. Some noteworthy features:
-- Always framework-oriented approach (which in my view is the only possible choice for real-world projects)
-- Heavy emphasis on architectural side of web development (follows from the previous point)
-- Comparison of different view technologies from practical point of view, w/o exclusively subscribing to a particular one which seems popular (like, JSP).
-- Excellent coverage of MVC paradigm, again, w/o subscribing to a particlar implementation (like Struts, etc)
-- Extensive coverage of all levels ("tiers") of a web application.
But what really shines, are the insights on architecture, namely the things which is impossible to find out by theoretically studying J2EE specifications and books such as "Enterprise Java Beans" and the like. For example, why Entity EJBs don't work. Or when is collocated EJB architecture is more appropriate than the distributed one, and why. After reading the book, many concepts just clear up. Not to say that everything is written in a clear and concise language (despite a few typographical errors that Wrox books are notorious for).
In short, this book is simply amazing.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Invaluable resource for any serious user of J2EE
When I first heard about my coworkers talking about this book, I thought "oh great, another J2EE book!" Much to my surprise (& delight), this book is not a how-to recipe book at all, but rather a collection of valuable suggestions on how to use J2EE and build high-quality J2EE applications. What sets this book apart from other run-of-the-mill Java/J2EE books is it gives you suggestions distilled from lessons learned in the battlefield (not regurgitated marketing shpiel from vendors), and it tells you exactly WHY. Moreover, it tells you what the tradeoffs are for each design option you take, which is almost never mentioned in any technical books and only obtainable from work experience. I'm just glad I'd bought and read this book, because it really helped me to raise my game, and I can now design apps with much more confidence. Similar Products
J2EE Developer's Handbook
Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture
Book Index