Creating applications for the Web is
substantially different from the rich-client approach. It implies
that most of the work is done on a remote server which sends
ready-to-use images and scripts to a Web client (usually an
Internet browser). There are many variants but the main idea is to
receive and process HTTP requests on a server and, in return, to
produce the right image to be sent back to the browser. Even if
there are many architectural differences, the following aspects can
be shared between rich and thin clients:
- Styling: responsible for transforming data into graphics, the styling rules can be the same for rich and thin-client applications. For example, CSS files, symbols and Designer projects can be used for both scenarios.
- Data model and connection with a data source: are the same and can benefit from the same code for both deployment strategies.
- Graphical content: usually displayed in the background of a panel or as parts of a dynamic symbol; graphical objects can be reused in both cases.
The main differences reside in the way the application behaves and
how it is packaged. Thin clients are usually driven by transactions
and only partially support rich interactions. JViews Diagrammer
thin clients are based on the JavaServer™
Faces (JSF) and DHTML technologies. Web pages containing visual
components are created as (JSP) pages. The JSF-based components
(also known as JViews Diagrammer Faces) provide the following
services:
- Display graphical content managed by Diagrammer classes and APIs. Data connection and styling are preserved.
- Provide interactive views and overviews.
- Manage local interactions, such as pan, zoom, selection, pop-up menus.
- Minimize round-trips when possible.
- Extensions can be written for extending both server-side and client-side components.
The use of these JSF and DHTML components is described in the
section Building Web applications of
the documentation. This section also describes how to deploy
resources for your Web applications.