110.  Java Servlets

Rev. 2.4.2

 

This course is now available directly from our partner, Capstone Courseware.

This practical, application-oriented course teaches Java Servlets technology and shows how to use it to develop simple to complex Web applications.  It is intended for experienced Java (J2SE) programmers who want to build Web applications or J2EE components and systems.

 

The course begins with an overview of server-side Java programming and Web protocols.  Then students learn the Java Servlets architecture, the request/response cycle, and servlet life cycle, and how to build interactive Web applications that parse and/or generate HTML forms.  Several prominent patterns for servlet application architecture are considered.  Sessions are studied as a means to developing sophisticated client/server conversations over several HTML pages.  Multi-tier applications are developed using servlets and JDBC for access to relational databases.  The course develops the important concept of the separation of programmatic and declarative development:  use of configuration and context information in lieu of hard-coded values, resource locations, etc., to make the Web application as portable and easy to administer as possible.  The course introduces JavaBeans as a standard for business and data objects that can be shared among servlets and JSPs, and develops techniques for sharing such objects at session scope or by request forwarding.  Finally, students learn how to implement filters to adapt existing servlets by pre- and post-processing the request and response.

 

The course software also includes an optional overlay of workspace and project files to support use of the Eclipse IDE in the classroom.  (This requires that the instructor be experienced in use of Eclipse and able to walk students through basic tasks in the IDE.)

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

 

·         Understand and appreciate the role of Java Servlets in the overall Java 2 Enterprise Edition architecture, and as the best Java solution to HTTP application development

·         Use request and response objects provided to a servlet to read CGI parameters and to produce an HTML response

·         Develop interactive Web applications using HTML forms and servlets

·         Manage complex conversations with HTTP clients using session attributes

·         Understand the role of JDBC in Java persistence code, and use JDBC for persistence in servlet applications

·         Preserve portability and ease of administration for a servlet application by parameterizing servlet code, using initialization parameters, properties files, and JNDI

·         Use JavaBeans classes to share complex business data between components

·         Implement filters to adapt existing servlets with new features, and to maximize the decomposition of logic between vertical business functions and horizontal facilities

 

Duration:  2 days.

 

Prerequisites:

 

·         Java programming experience is required;  Object Innovations Course 103, “Java Programming,” is excellent preparation. 

·         Exposure to HTML and Web page design are beneficial but not necessary.

 

1.      Web Applications

Server-Side Programming

Web Protocols and Web Applications

Role of Web Servers

Java Servlets

Using Tomcat Web server

Structure of a Java Servlet

 

2.      Servlets Architecture

Servlets Architecture

Servlet and HttpServlet

Request and Response

Reading Request Parameters

Producing an HTML Response

Redirecting the Web Server

Deployment Descriptors

Servlets Life Cycle

Relationship to the Container

 

3.      Interactive Web Applications

Building an HTML Interface

HTML Forms

Handling Form Input

Application Architecture

Single-Servlet Model

Multiple-Servlet Model

Routing Servlet Model

Template Parsers

 

4.      Session Management

Managing Client State

Sessions

Session Implementations

HttpSession

Session Attributes

Session Events

Invalidating Sessions

 

5.      Database Access

JDBC

JDBC Drivers

Using JDBC in a Servlet

Data Access Objects

Threading Issues

Transactions

Connection Pooling

 

6.      Configuration and Context

The Need for Configuration

Initialization Parameters

Properties Files

JNDI and the Component Environment

JDBC Data Sources

Working with XML Data

 

7.      Filters

Servlet Filters

Uses for Filters

Building a Filter

Filter Configuration and Context

Filter Chains

Deploying Filters

 

Learning Resources

 

 

System Requirements

 

Hardware – minimal:                     Pentium 500 MHz, 128 MB RAM, 500 MB disk.

Hardware – recommended:           Pentium 1.5 GHz, 512 MB RAM, 1 GB disk.

 

Operating system:                          Tested on Windows XP Professional.  The course software should be viable on all Windows or Linux systems which support J2EE 1.4.

 

Software:                                       All free downloadable tools.