What This Book Contains

The content of this book is part software management and part software development, as rapid development is not possible without engaging both disciplines.

Although the content of this book spans the entire development process, it is not a definitive text on the lifecycle of a project. Rather, the content encompasses a detailed collection of ideas, processes, and techniques tailored to enterprise-level J2EE developments.

Not all of the techniques are applicable to every situation. Instead, you should familiarize yourself with the ideas presented, then draw upon your own skills and experience to determine which of them adds the most value to your specific project.

The techniques and practices presented all represent best-practice software engineering. The intent is to introduce a wide range of subjects rather than focus on a small number of topics in minute detail. Rapid-fire examples illustrate each of the concepts introduced, which bring you quickly up to speed with a particular topic. Each chapter includes links and references to further resources for more information on all the techniques and practices covered.