JavaFX as a SaaS/ How good is it for Client-Server work?

Question

I was under the impression that FX could be used to produce a Client-Server application as well as SaaS.
a member of another forum said "I'm sure you meant to say "Desktop". JavaFX will not be making inroads on the web as a client-side technology."
To which I said
There have been examples of FX used with EE
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javafx/samples/index.html
http://docs.oracle.com/javafx/2/overview/jfxpub-overview.htm
Sales Dashboard (DataApp)
DataApp is a client-server application for a fictional global automobile company called Henley Car Sales. Automobile sales are simulated on an EJB server using JavaDB, and the data is available via Derby and a RESTful web service. The client demonstrates a variety of data presentations by using a mix of FXML and JavaFX.
I thought originally that JavaFX was "Desktop" only also, until I found this example. I couldn't get it to run due to some weird Database line read issue that others also had. I'm not sure if this is now due to FX's integration, or if this was something new, but I believe I have seen another FX client-server app as well.
I'm not that familiar with the client-server side of Java yet, so if you have other Information I would like to know, because I am looking to design a Client-Server app with FX, and I don't see why it would be an issue, unless there are huge limitations."
He ended up saying "Those are still desktop apps. Sure, they are client-server in that they connect to a remote database. But they are still traditional fat-client apps rather than web-based thin-client SAAS web applications which, these days, most people will think of when you say "client".
My point is to be more precise when you use the word "client".
But if your point is just that JavaFX is taking over from Swing for the limited areas in which Swing is used, I have no insight into that area."
Now I don't really like attitudes when I get my question answered, but the high and mighty needs to stop. It clearly says Client-Server so I don't know why it's being denounced by this dude who thinks he obviously knows better.
Anyways he talks about it only being able to connect to a DB, to which it says it uses EE tech such as EBJ, Restful, and Derby, so that's more than just DB right(I don't know since I havent' learned that yet)?
It seems as if he's saying that only EE code can go up on a server? Or can SE code go up there as well?
I'm looking to design a SaaS software with FX, so if this isnt' possible I would like to know possible other options(or just having all of the gui work on the client, and the rest on the backend)???
Thanks!
~KZ
Edited by: KonradZuse on Apr 30, 2013 11:26 AM

Answer 1

This response is not a tutorial, I hope it gives you some verbiage to use in further searches.
SaaS to me means that the service is running on the server. If you have the server and permission to run java apps there then you can use Java FX by having the server shuttle requests to the Java FX app. But this is probably not the intent of Saas (it would be more appropriate to use a java implemented web service).
If you are using Netbeans then it is very easy to create demo projects; use "File/New Project" to run them on your local computer.
Example File/New Project/Java Web/Web Application will give you a hello world web site very quickly. This will 1) start either tomcat or glassfish as the server. 2) launch an html page with "hello world". then you can use java script to talk with the server via ajax. Using this approach you are going to need to study JSP or J2EE stuff.
After this is running you could start one of the Java Fx examples in Netbeans: File / New Project / Samples / WebViewBrowser. This will start a javaFX app that acts like a browser and runs on the client.
So, start the "hello world" app in netbeans by right clicking it in the project pain and selecting "debug". Then start the webviewBrowser app the same way to load that web page that has "hello world" in it as all browsers do. In the WebviewBrowser (which is java fx) you can get at the javascript in the web page and do all kinds of stuff. You'll need to search for webviewBrowser examples.
The above all assumes a Netbeans solution. But, as you probably know, there are no rules. The server can be in C++ and the client in C (or any other language). The server and client usally communicate via http or tcp. So you could have a server written in java (maybe J2ee or you can rewrite a http server from scratch which isn't that hard - search for "HttpServletRequest and HttpSession" ) and the client can be in Java FX (where the Java FX talks directly with the server via http (no javascript or web page in the middle) again there are probably hundreds of libraries to talk to a http server).
I use HttpServletRequest and HttpSession on the server side with MySQL and xml. On the client I use javaScript but I am moving to a strictly Java FX solution. This will give me close to 100% java on both sides and for my purposes this will work. (I may need a little html in the middle for drag and drop installation.) I am hoping that work continues with porting Java FX to most devices: Android, IOS, WinPhone. It is already on Linux, Windows Desktops and Mac.
Edited by: KevinPas on May 1, 2013 9:50 AM
Edited by: KevinPas on May 1, 2013 9:56 AM