ZK Developer's Guide Review

The complexity in developing Ajax based applications has led some software development companies to build frameworks that would ease the workload of developers especially for those who are not familiar with JavaScript. With the help of a framework, the developer doesn’t even have to learn the complicated aspect of JavaScript. Each of the frameworks have their own technique in helping the developer but all of them in the end aid the developers build a good looking Ajax based application without the ropes of manually coding JavaScript. Some frameworks are too simple and common that they end up being ignored while some offers the functionality and robust any developer needs to build an efficient Ajax based application.

ZK Framework is one of those frameworks that have attracted different developers who wanted to use a framework in building an Ajax based application. As a framework, developers will enjoy the ease of developing an Ajax based application.

What attracted developers to this framework are not on the rich interface it could provide but on the technique on how ZK could ease the development of their application. Most of the frameworks for Ajax that were developed are mostly on harnessing the client side of the website. This is reasonable since JavaScript is essentially a client side language. ZK Framework on the other hand allows developers to build their application right from the server. This means the information, the graphics and basically the RIA interface of the website will come from the server. The mark-up language supported by ZK Framework is also very powerful. Instead of using other mark-up languages, ZK Frameworks has a component based markup language called ZUML.

This unique ability of ZK Framework to work on server side has attracted developers. They are basically challenged how ZK could actually work in simple to relatively complex websites.

All of these differences from other frameworks however helped increase the complexity of ZK Framework. This has required developers to learn ZK Framework extensively even before a single code is written with the help of the framework.

Helping the developers figure out ZK Framework is this book. Written by Markus Stäuble and Hans-Jürgen Schumacher, the ZK Developer's Guide will hopefully tackle the concerns of every developer who wants to build their application using ZK Framework. Although the authors are relatively unknown, they have a very extensive background not only in software development but more specifically for Ajax based application.

The Book

ZK Developer's Guide is divided into seven chapters.

Chapter 1 discusses the general overview of ZK Framework. Readers will be introduced the basic concepts of the framework. What to really look out for in this chapter is the discussion of ZUML and XUL. These are very important mark-up languages that will spell the success and failure of your application.

Chapter 2 guides the developers in building their first application using the ZK framework. A CRUD (Create-Read-Update-Delete) type of application will be worked on and will be the focal point of development. The most important components in ZK Framework are discussed in this chapter.

Chapter 3 introduces the CRUD type online application with another twist. This time Ajax based functions are introduced in the sample application. This chapter also helps the developers in building the CRUD type application that will follow the MVC architecture.

Chapter 4 further extends the functions and abilities of the sample CRUD application. By this time, a good Ajax based application is already in place. This chapter introduces other functions that developers could use so that they could move forward their application not just as a web application but would rival the desktop experience of the user.

Chapter 5 discusses the good and the bad things about ZK Framework. This chapter is very honest as it tells the developers when to use the ZK Framework. This chapter also discusses how the framework could also be integrated with other frameworks. ZK for mobile use is also described here. Customized tags for JSP and JSF components of ZK are also outlined in this chapter.

Chapter 6 discusses the possibility of customizing the components that were already developed. This chapter leads to the eventual development of an independent component without the help of additional functions from other component. This chapter emphasizes the reusability of functions which is very important because of the complexity of the application.

Chapter 7 discusses the very important tool in ZK Framework. Called ZK-Bench, developers will have the ability to extend their expertise in ZUL. It’s aim just like the ZK Framework, simplifying the steps for developers and cutting the number of manpower hours.

Appendix offers very extensive information about configuration files. This part of the book is actually needed not only the end but right from the start. This appendix will help developers understand better the underlying principles in building this efficient application.

Reaction to the Book

The purpose of an Ajax framework is to help the developers build an Ajax based application without the help of JavaScript. As today’s demand for a brand new website increases by the second, developers doesn’t have enough time to study the brand new framework.

This contradicts the principle behind the framework. Instead of helping the developers build the application fast, they have to go back to their books and review.

But as a book, ZK Developer's Guide is very intensive. Although it is only focused n CRUD based applications, the topics that were discussed covers almost any problem that the developers might face when using ZK Frameworks. People might be intimidated with the number of pages this book has, but the most parts of the book are actually coding that sometimes occupies more than one page.

This book doesn’t go around the bush in explaining some things that you might not encounter later on. It goes straight to the point and it uses a very simple yet very relevant example. Even though you are not familiar with ZK, this book will provide you with more than enough information which will help you, in the end, build your own Ajax based application using ZK Framework.

This book is available for purchase at packtpub.com ZK Developer’s Guide