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Book Review: Professional JSP

Author: Karl Avedal, et al

Publisher: WROX

Date: 2000

Pages: 897

ISBN: 1861003625

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Reviewd by Jayson Falkner.

JSP establishes an entirely new atmosphere for creating dynamic web pages using Java. With all the possibilities, it's hard to grasp where exactly to start learning JSP and what to expect. For developers new to JSP this book is solid gold.

With twenty-some authors and as many technical reviewers, Professional JSP seems to introduce just about everything in JSP. Not only are the concepts introduced, but each section contains example code learning aids. Professional JSP begins with an overview of the JSP structure, and then proceeds to explain the use of JavaBeans, HTTP sessions, error handling, database connectivity, tag libraries, security and much more. The large group of authors definitely shine in this book.

For seasoned Java developers picking up JSP, this book may seem to repeat some of the Java basics. I would still recommend Professional JSP to you as a source for learning how JSP implements the flexibility of the Java programming language.

What did I like about Professional JSP?

The large source of Java developers contributing to this book helped to cover just about all the options JSP currently offers.
The sample code is not only excellent, but usually is a small application in itself.
A JSP quick reference is included in the back of the book.
Examples are given for configuring Tomcat as a JSP container for your web server. Since I am currently using Tomcat with Apache, that section rocked!

What did I dislike?

Pro JSP is a solid sized book. Most of the content is well used and provides a beneficial introduction to JSP, but an experienced Java developer may find some of the information only worth skimming.
Typos are worth a mention here. The reference section included some mistakes that had me questioning my JSP knowledge.

Should Professional JSP be on your bookshelf?

Yes! This book provides a great introduction to the flexibility JSP offers a web site. It should earn a spot on any JSP developer's bookshelf.

Review by Ray Carnes.

Professional JSP is a winner - the one to have when learning, mastering, and finally applying this important new discipline. In the best tradition of Wrox books, Professional JSP blankets the subject's basic concepts in detail, employing well explained, easily understandable code snippets to drive home each point.

JSP is a blending of several disparate technical disciplines, each with its own rules, syntax, complexities and consequences. I like this book because the authors make sense of it all by presenting each subject in an orderly manner, constantly moving forward until the reader is confident and ready to have it cemented in real-world case studies.

Professional JSP begins with a straightforward JSP course to give the reader a solid foundation. The first six chapters guide you through the basics of JSP, from the simplest of definitions through syntax, JavaBeans, and the issues of error handling.

Chapters eight through twelve explain database and connection pooling, application-wide configuration, and architectural issues and options. These are the skills that round out a basic JSP education, and, at this point, the student should feel comfortable working in a development group. What follows is what makes the book really great.

The balance of the chapters are devoted to case studies, each building on the solid tutorial base while presenting and incorporating new concepts. While all of them are well done, presenting specific areas of conversion, design, etc., the first was my favorite. It deals with the development of web interfaces, but it does so by introducing, explaining and using UML to present the progressive complexity. This is a necessary methodology that is little understood by most developers and frequently skipped over by architects with tight schedules and tighter budgets. Its inclusion is an inspired addition to which the reader might not otherwise have been exposed.

Another case study that struck home presents JSP for ASP programmers. ASP is not for everyone, and that's why so many people are interested in quickly becoming proficient in JSP. The case study, in conjunction with an appendix providing comparative syntactical information, walks through the process of porting ASP to JSP. For many, this alone will justify the cost of the book.

Professional JSP will take you from ground zero to competent developer with the skills that come from developing complex applications, and then it will become a valued reference.

I have no idea how twenty reviewers and two editors managed to keep all 900 pages of information so nicely organized, but they certainly did. I've heard it said that no one ever erected a monument to a committee, but perhaps this is the time to do so. The word "Professional" in the title does not mean you have to be a JSP guru to get the most out of your investment. This book is for everyone.

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