JSF - building complete CMS with Java and JavaServer Faces

🌟 Course Title: JSF - Building Complete CMS with Java & JavaServer Faces

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Headline: Build a responsive multilanguage content management system from scratch to finish with JavaServer Faces, MySQL, Primefaces!

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Introduction 📚

Update - 2019-01-11This project is now Mavenized and updated to the latest versions: Java 11, Apache Maven 3.6.0, Apache Tomcat 9.0.14, Eclipse IDE 2018-12. It's also modularized (refer to Appendix for more details).

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Why Choose JSF Over JSP? 🤔 Are you interested in Java web development? Tired of JSP? JSF is the way to go! Oracle has officially stated that "JSP technology is considered to be a deprecated presentation technology for JavaServer Faces". Let's explore why JSF is a superior choice.

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What is JSF? 🧩

JSF, or JavaServer Faces, is a powerful component-based MVC (Model-View-Controller) framework that builds upon the Servlet API. It offers a rich set of UI components via taglibs, which can be used in JSP or any other Java-based view technology like Facelets. Since JSF 2.0, JSP has been deprecated as a view technology in favor of Facelets, providing greater templating capabilities and ease of use.

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JavaServer Faces at a Glance: "JSF technology simplifies building user interfaces for JavaServer application" and is part of the Java Platform, Enterprise Edition (JEE). It is designed to facilitate the development of consistent user interfaces by using reusable components. The framework handles the conversion between user input and server-side data models, provides a set of rendering engines to generate HTML, XML, etc., and offers a rich API for event handling.

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Course Overview 🛠️

This course will guide you through creating a fully functional Content Management System (CMS) web application using Java, JSF, and related technologies. You'll learn to write Java classes, XML and HTML templates, bind Java Beans to JSF components, and much more. We'll cover everything from setting up the database and server paths to implementing responsive design, multi-language support, and robust features like image/file uploaders and rich text editors.

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What You'll Build:

• A responsive HTML5 CMS with a tableless design.
• Multi-language support for your web application.
• Image and file multi-uploaders with defined extensions.
• Rich text editors in tabbed views.
• A system for storing and resizing image thumbnails.
• A login screen with session management.

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CMS Capabilities:

• View, insert, update, and delete data through a database interface.
• User authentication and session management.
• Uploading images and files with easy-to-define dimensions.
• Developer logging for application maintenance.

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Java & JSF Special Features:

• Implementation of MVC design patterns.
• Managed beans and various JSF HTML tags.
• Ajax integration for dynamic user interfaces.
• Iteration over data sets with JSF.
• JSTL conditions to control the flow of your application.
• Primefaces components for advanced UI elements.
• A Java implementation for a robust rich text editor.

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Join us on this journey to master JSF and build a powerful, scalable CMS with Java. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced developer looking to expand your skillset, this course will equip you with the knowledge and tools necessary to succeed in Java web development. 🚀

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Technologies Covered:

• Java
• JSF/Primefaces
• Xampp
• MySQL
• Apache Tomcat
• JSTL
• HTML5/CSS
• JavaScript/JQuery

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Eclipse IDE: Throughout the course, you'll use Eclipse IDE for writing your project code, building, and running your application. It's an integral part of the development process and will help you troubleshoot and resolve errors and bugs efficiently.

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Enroll now to start your journey towards becoming a JSF expert and to create a CMS that stands out for its robust functionality and user-friendly design! 🌐✨

🧭 Course Overview:

The global course rating stands at 3.80, with recent reviews painting a mixed picture of the educational experience offered by the course. Reviews range from constructive criticism to dissatisfaction with certain aspects of the course content and delivery.

Pros:

• Practical Approach: Several users found the course's approach to be highly practical, emphasizing the collection of best practices and enhancing understanding of full-stack web applications.

• Ease of Understanding: The explanations were deemed easy to understand, making the content accessible for learners. One user specifically appreciated the simplicity and clarity of the instructional videos.

• Helpful Learning Tool: For those who found the course useful, it was a valuable resource in their learning journey, particularly for those new to the subject matter.

Cons:

• Access Issues: Some learners expressed frustration over not having access to necessary files shared within the course platform, which impacted their ability to follow along and apply what they were learning.

• Technical Difficulties: Users encountered persistent errors with XML files that could not be resolved despite attempts to troubleshoot or use alternative software, suggesting incomplete documentation or resources for technical support.

• Code Issues: A significant complaint was the presence of duplicate code and outdated practices within the course material. One user highlighted that the final product demonstrated "worst practices" in software design.

• Lack of Detailed Knowledge: Some learners felt there were gaps in explanations, particularly regarding request parameters and SQL injection prevention, which could lead to misunderstandings or unintended security vulnerabilities.

• Missing Files and Documentation: The absence of certain example files and logical components (e.g., a missing LoginController) was a point of contention, as it hindered the learning process and the ability to replicate examples.

• Outdated Content: The use of outdated Java versions and explanations that no longer resonated with learners indicated that the course content may need updating to stay relevant and effective.

Summary:

The course offers a practical and accessible approach to learning full-stack web applications, with some users finding it highly beneficial for collecting best practices. However, significant concerns arise from access issues, persistent technical errors, questionable coding practices, lack of detailed explanations, missing course materials, and outdated content that may need revision. It appears the course has room for improvement in terms of both content accuracy and course delivery mechanisms to enhance learner satisfaction and success.