Single-page applications and Grails
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This document discusses single-page internet applications (SPI apps) and their implementation using Grails. SPI apps use JavaScript for their model, views, and controllers in the browser, communicating with a REST API on the server. While SPI apps provide faster loading and a better user experience, they require replicating the MVC pattern in JavaScript. Grails 3.0 will support different profiles including REST that simplify the server-side logic. Popular JavaScript frameworks like AngularJS and Ember.js provide similar features to Grails like models, views/templates, and controllers. The TodoMVC site demonstrates these frameworks.
Single-page applications and Grails
- 2. About me Passionate software developer. Founder & CEO of Salenda and Escuela de Groovy. Groovy/Grails lover since 2007.
- 3. Typical Grails architecture Grails is an MVC, where: Model is implemented using POGO’s for GORM (Hibernate). Views are rendered on the server side using GSP’s and taglibs. Controllers are Groovy classes with methods as actions.
- 4. So what the hell is a SPI application?
- 6. A SPI web app is… A web application where you can navigate without any page refresh. REST is used to communicate with the server. The MVC is in the browser, written in Javascript, where: The model are Javascript classes. The views are written in HTML. The controller, services, etc. are also written in Javascript.
- 7. Did you say Javascript?!? WTF! WTF! Really?!?
- 8. Some people like Javascript
- 9. And why the hell should I care about SPI?
- 10. Because it has some advantages It’s faster, because: Modern browsers have faster Javascript engines. Only the data is sent, not the full markup. It has a better user experience, because: Data refreshes instantly. It may be easier for the developer: If you choose the right framework, you don’t have to deal with events or callbacks.
- 11. But, it also has some cons What happens if there is no Javascript? Are you going to gracefully degrade? How do we deal with server communication failures? Can I still use the application without an Internet connection? Am I going to replicate the MVC in the client? Again? In Javascript?
- 12. Ok. And how do I implement it using Grails?
- 13. Less server logic Your Grails application gets simplified. Just use GORM (or any other backend) with a REST API. Implementing a REST API with Grails is really easy. Just focus on: Transactions. Data retrieving and storing. Security / authentication. Scalability
- 14. And do I really need a Grails application for that?
- 15. Not really You can use Vert.x. Or if you want to be really cool, use Node.js. Even if you are really bored, you can just do it in Java…
- 16. News from this morning In Grails 3.0 you will have application profiles: Servlet “classic” profile. Lightweight profile. REST profile.
- 17. Ok with the server side. What can I do with the client?
- 18. There’s lot of frameworks
- 19. Comprehensive comparision Todo MVC, by Addy Osmani and Sindre Sorhus. http://addyosmani.github.com/todomvc/
- 20. Similar features Models. } Domain classes. Views and templates. GSP’s and templates. {{ }} ${} Controllers. Routing. URL Mappings.
- 21. Gotchas Are views on the client really the best option? What about….? i18n? Security? Caching? How do we handle dependency management in our Javascript code? …
- 22. Show me some code please!
- 23. That’s all! Thanks! Álvaro Sánchez-Mariscal @alvaro_sanchez