Matt RaibleMatt Raible is a Web Architecture Consultant specializing in open source frameworks.

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10 years ago, I wrote my first blog post. Since then, I've authored books, had kids, traveled the world, found Trish and blogged about it all.

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Friday March 10, 2006

Struts is (far and away) most popular web framework deployed on JBoss

From this month's JBoss Newsletter:

Here are the results of last month's poll that asked: What web application framework(s) do you use for your applications deployed on JBoss? (Multiple answers allowed)

  • Apache Struts - 59%
  • JavaServer Faces- 34%
  • Spring - 26%
  • Other - 13%
  • Tapestry - 6%
  • WebWork - 5%
  • Wicket - 1%

These results are certainly interesting. My guess is most "Other" frameworks are ones developed in-house.

Does this means I shouldn't ditch Struts 1.x support in AppFuse 2.0? Possibly, but since AppFuse works best for starting new applications - it makes sense to say "use the good stuff or you're on your own." ;-)

Posted in Java at Mar 10 2006, 07:02:29 AM MST 9 Comments
Comments:

I am pleasantly surprised to see JSF up there, which I assume is attributed to Seam. I am sure once Struts 2 and Shale are out Struts interest will peak again and Struts 1.0 users will stick with Struts as opposed to moving onto another framework.

Posted by dsuspense on March 10, 2006 at 08:22 AM MST #

I say drop Struts when WebWork is re-branded Struts Action 2. Not sure of your or their timeline, but maybe this will coincide with Appfuse 2.0 anyway. In any case, will you be changing the default to WebWork/SA2?

Posted by Bron on March 10, 2006 at 10:50 AM MST #

Bron - yes, we will be changing the default to Struts Action 2.0. I believe the Struts Developer's goal is to have it released by August. The other big change we'll be doing in AppFuse 2.0 is using Maven 2.0 (but hopefully still keeping Ant compatibility).

Posted by Matt Raible on March 10, 2006 at 10:52 AM MST #

Hi Matt, I didn't vote, +1 for webwork :-).

Posted by Ricardo on March 10, 2006 at 12:33 PM MST #

Struts Action 2.0 -- what a boondoggle! Where do they get off co-opting the Apache Struts brand?

It is such a transparent ploy to sneak WebWork past the corporate managers they so often deride as "Pointy Haired Bosses".

They are in for a rude awakening -- managers are smarter than that, pointy-haired or not, and won't fall for this deception.

The Struts brand has always been about leveraging the Java EE platform to its fullest potential. Struts complemented the Java EE platform -- made it easy to work with. It avoided redundant implementation of features included within Java EE. It showed how to make the most-effective use of servlets, JSP, and tag libraries.

Now JSF is part of Java EE. The natural evolutionary step for Struts Next is to leverage JSF. That's what managers will be looking for!

Posted by Allen Halsey on March 10, 2006 at 04:09 PM MST #

I don't disagree with you Allen - but it was you who said JSF is in (a) crisis, not me. ;-) If JSF was <em>that</em> good - you'd be reading a Rick Hightower-like blog here about how great it is.

Posted by Matt Raible on March 10, 2006 at 04:14 PM MST #

Matt, it is true that I have been frustrated with the slow pace of JSF progress -- first announced in May 2001! The JSP/JSF mismatch has been a major setback. And I think there has been a lack of consensus from JSF experts on best practices for applying JSF to different situations. It remains a confusing situation.

Just as Struts baked-in the best practices for using servlets, JSP, and tag libraries, what is needed now is a framework that bakes-in the best practices for using JSF. I was expecting Struts to continue its tradition of maximally leveraging the Java EE platform and be that framework.

With JSF, there continues to be some fundamental issues to resolve and reach consensus on, but I am seeing rapid progress now. I believe JSF is now gaining traction. It was hoped that tag-libraries would spur the creation of a cottage industry of tag-library vendors, similar to how VBX controls led to VB dominance. That didn't really happen. But I do see it happening with JSF components, with Oracle's ADF components leading the way. I won't hold my breath waiting for a cottage industry of WebWork components.

Posted by Allen Halsey on March 10, 2006 at 04:45 PM MST #

As long time J2ee contractor I wonder about JSF popularity - never stand with customer who need developers with JSF skill. Spring and Struts is two only frameworks which requered on market.

Posted by Alex Tretyakov on March 22, 2006 at 10:04 AM MST #

I see bright future with JSF for component based business model and specailly for integrated AJAX component.

Posted by renish ladani on July 27, 2007 at 07:17 AM MDT #

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