Aimed at the more experienced Java Web developer, Advanced JavaServer Pages covers leading-edge techniques for writing more maintainable Web applications in Java. Stressing custom tag libraries and other reusable components, this book is all you need to take your programming skills to the next level.

There are any number of good introductory texts on JavaServer Pages. This title distinguishes itself with techniques recommended by Sun for building better Web applications. Backed up by the author's own collection of custom tag libraries, which allow ordinary Web designers to program with tags instead of Java code, this text covers all the bases from getting started with tags to more advanced techniques. Early examples of tag libraries include a variety of ways to validate data in HTML forms. Throughout, the book deftly describes installing tag libraries, and shows how HTML designers can use custom tags after Java developers have created them.

Readers also get best practices for JSP and Beans, which is a big plus. Author David Geary presents both Model 1 and Model 2 architectures. (In Model 1, JavaBeans are used to present data to front-end JSPs. In Model 2, a more sophisticated set of Java classes using the Model-View-Controller design pattern allows even greater flexibility.) Sample code for using JSP and JavaBeans for internationalized code (including French, German, and Chinese) will show you how to take your Web application to worldwide markets. The book concludes with a working case study of an online fruit stand (using several languages) and applies the techniques presented earlier on.

All in all, with its mix of practical advice and some very useful techniques for getting the most out of JSP and Java for Web applications, Advanced JavaServer Pages fills a valuable niche for any serious Java developer who wants to see some of the best ways to create Web applications today. --Richard Dragan

Topics covered:

* Custom tag tutorial (including JSP and TLD files)
* The tag life cycle
* Tag attributes
* Tag classes
* Body tag handlers
* Scripting variables
* Nested tags
* HTML forms and JavaBeans
* Validating form data with Beans and custom tags
* Templates and custom tags for defining regions within Web pages
* Model 1 and Model 2 basics
* Sample classes and tags for Model 2 framework (including samples for managing logins)
* Event handling
* Sensitive form resubmissions
* Internationalization techniques (including resource bundles and locales)
* Security issues (including basic, digest, form-based, and SSL authentication)
* Custom tags for JDBC database programming
* Database connection pooling, XML, and JavaBeans
* The Simple API for XML (SAX)
* The Document Object Model (DOM) and custom tags for these APIs
* XSLT and XML
* Case study for an internationalized online fruit stand
* Appendix on Servlet filters and the Servlet 2.3 specification