How to start java Web Development

[klauern]

I am a realative newbie to Java, but I do know enough of Java to make a
program out of it, so I can consider myself a Java Programmer. However,
I am starting to understand that alot of really useful applications can
be developed using the web only. I want to start into this market, but
I'm not sure where to begin.

What do I need to learn to do some serious web development using Java?
I can make a lot of programs that run on the desktop fine, but if I
want to make web-based programs, what should I know in addition to
Java? Is JavaScript alot different than Java? What about using other
web-based languages like PHP and Perl scripting? What
advantages/disadvantages does programming web-based applications in
Java provide versus other alternatives? What are other alternatives to
compare this to?

Alot of questions for someone who really doesn't know much about the
web and development of it. I do know enough to start using MySQL for
databases, and can probably fit that in there too, but this whole idea
of web design is a new game.

-Nick

 

[Hal Rosser]

I am a realative newbie to Java, but I do know enough of Java to make a
program out of it, so I can consider myself a Java Programmer. However,
I am starting to understand that alot of really useful applications can
be developed using the web only. I want to start into this market, but
I'm not sure where to begin.

What do I need to learn to do some serious web development using Java?
I can make a lot of programs that run on the desktop fine, but if I
want to make web-based programs, what should I know in addition to
Java? Is JavaScript alot different than Java? What about using other
web-based languages like PHP and Perl scripting? What
advantages/disadvantages does programming web-based applications in
Java provide versus other alternatives? What are other alternatives to
compare this to?

Alot of questions for someone who really doesn't know much about the
web and development of it. I do know enough to start using MySQL for
databases, and can probably fit that in there too, but this whole idea
of web design is a new game.

-Nick

Java servlets and JSP is the place to start, and this book is very good:
http://www.murach.com/books/jsps/index.htm

 

[Thomas Weidenfeller]

What do I need to learn to do some serious web development using Java?

"Web development" is a very generic term. Do you mean client or server
side? Client-side Java development (Applets) is essentially dead.
Deployment of Java applications via WebStart is not really "web
programming". Developing web server-applications with Java is a big thing.

So if you want to do the big thing, if you want to start server-side
programming, first of all learn HTML, and learn it really well. Also
learn at least the basics of the HTTP protocol. Have a good HTML
verifier handy. Then you could e.g. start with Java servlets. These are
kind of server-side Java programs which are executed in a so called
servlet container (a server framework doing some of the basic work of a
web server so you don't have to). A very popular free one is Tomcat from
the Apache Foundation). From that you could move on into all sorts of
directions, e.g. having a look at all the other J2EE technologies, or
things like Struts.

I can make a lot of programs that run on the desktop fine, but if I
want to make web-based programs, what should I know in addition to
Java? Is JavaScript alot different than Java?

Completely different, and it has nothing to do with Java. I am surprised
that someone calling himself a Java programmer has never stumbled across
the difference before.

JavaScript is a client-side programming language, just sharing the first
four letters of the name with Java. So again, is that what you want to
do as "web development"? You are mixing all sorts of technologies here,
e.g. ...

What about using other
web-based languages like PHP and Perl scripting?

Both of these are server-side programming languages. I am not a fan of
PHP at all (to unstructured, to many security holes in the past for my
liking), but others are. Perl was the first language used big-time for
server-side programming. Perl CGIs require some good Perl experience to
ensure they are save (injection was (is?) a popular technique to
compromise a CGI - all kinds of CGIs, not only the ones written in Perl).

What
advantages/disadvantages does programming web-based applications in
Java provide versus other alternatives? What are other alternatives to
compare this to?

It depends. It highly depends on your requirements, what your customers
want, and often it is just a matter of personal taste.

Alot of questions for someone who really doesn't know much about the
web and development of it.

Get a good book, or a bunch of books.
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/jservlet2/ is a nice one when it comes to
servlet programming.

/Thomas