Preface

In just a few short years, Struts (now officially called Apache Struts) has grown from a simple idea hatched in Craig McClanahan's head into the most popular framework for building Java©-based web applications. There are other excellent Java-based web application frameworks available; many are newer than Struts, and most have benefited from lessons learned by the Struts users and developers. However, none of these frameworks offer the broad-range of features and functionality for which Struts is known.

Just as important, the Struts communityone of the largest in the world of open source developmentactively supports fellow Struts users and drives Struts development. The struts-user mailing list often receives upwards of one hundred messages a day. Struts novices, experienced Struts users, and Struts committers are all active on this list. It has become an open, tolerant community in which the precept of knowledge sharing thrives in a congenial and refreshingly humorous environment. It's with that attitude that I have written this book.

As developers, we latch onto tools, patterns, and software that works for us. Once we find a certain way of solving a problem, we tend to stick with that solution. We are naturally wary of new approaches to the same problem. It goes back to the old saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

For a Struts developer, staying with the comfortable and familiar techniques will get you by, but you'll be missing out on many innovative, creative, and entertaining ways of working with Struts. My aim with this book is to take away some of that anxiety when it comes to trying a new way of solving what may be an old problem.

The topics covered in these pages include:

• Tools and techniques for developing a Struts application

• Configuring your Struts application

• Creating your user interface with the tag libraries

• Working with Struts actions and action forms

• Validating input and handling errors

• Integrating Struts with your business model

• Applying security to your application

• Internationalization

• Testing and debugging

• Using Tiles and other presentation approaches