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What do you guys think of java as a language for desktop applications? I have a web app that I already use java for, and it could use a tiny desktop app to leve

by cammil 16y ago

What do you guys think of java as a language for desktop applications? I have a web app that I already use java for, and it could use a tiny desktop app to leverage it. I say tiny because all it will do is receive web requests which inform the user that they should visit the main web app.

lelele 16y ago
It is a fine language. Java Web Start will help you distributing your desktop app. Only drawback is the non-native GUI. However, I've heard the Eclipse team has made a framework with a native look-and-feel available. EDIT: Well, if your app is tiny, I guess the different look-and-feel would not be an issue.
mahmud 16y ago
Java is excellent for cross-platform desktop GUI. Eclipse's SWT looks perfect, but careful not to get dragged into their elaborate "Rich Client Platform" crap. If you can manage to use just SWT, you will win. Having said that, Swing, the offical GUI toolkit can be themed to look quite native. And Java Webstart is an absolute win: one-click deployment on every platform.
- Sandman 16y ago
  Eclipse RCP can be challenging, and, quite frankly, overwhelming when you first start using it, but after a while, you begin to see the benefits that you get from developing your application on the RCP instead of doing it as a raw SWT app. That being said, there are situations where the RCP's provided solution to a problem you're having may be overly complex, and you're better off rolling your own solution.
cjg 16y ago
The biggest problem is deployment. It's fine if you are happy with web start, but if not then creating an .exe isn't trivial. One of the biggest issues relates the the JVM. Are you going to assume that your users have a particular JVM installed? If so, which one? What if they don't have it? Or you can package the JVM into the exe - although this will make creating that exe more difficult and make it significantly larger. I would love a Java tool that could analyse your app and create an exe that contained a cut-down JVM. Cut-down in that any classes that aren't used (directly or indirectly) are omitted. This is not an easy thing to do given runtime control of class loading.
petervandijck 16y ago
Java desktop apps almost always feel a little kludgy (in the UI), imo. Might be ok for tiny apps like yours.

by cammil 16y ago

lelele 16y ago

It is a fine language. Java Web Start will help you distributing your desktop app. Only drawback is the non-native GUI. However, I've heard the Eclipse team has made a framework with a native look-and-feel available. EDIT: Well, if your app is tiny, I guess the different look-and-feel would not be an issue.

mahmud 16y ago

Java is excellent for cross-platform desktop GUI. Eclipse's SWT looks perfect, but careful not to get dragged into their elaborate "Rich Client Platform" crap. If you can manage to use just SWT, you will win. Having said that, Swing, the offical GUI toolkit can be themed to look quite native. And Java Webstart is an absolute win: one-click deployment on every platform.

Sandman 16y ago
Eclipse RCP can be challenging, and, quite frankly, overwhelming when you first start using it, but after a while, you begin to see the benefits that you get from developing your application on the RCP instead of doing it as a raw SWT app. That being said, there are situations where the RCP's provided solution to a problem you're having may be overly complex, and you're better off rolling your own solution.

cjg 16y ago

The biggest problem is deployment. It's fine if you are happy with web start, but if not then creating an .exe isn't trivial. One of the biggest issues relates the the JVM. Are you going to assume that your users have a particular JVM installed? If so, which one? What if they don't have it? Or you can package the JVM into the exe - although this will make creating that exe more difficult and make it significantly larger. I would love a Java tool that could analyse your app and create an exe that contained a cut-down JVM. Cut-down in that any classes that aren't used (directly or indirectly) are omitted. This is not an easy thing to do given runtime control of class loading.

petervandijck 16y ago

Java desktop apps almost always feel a little kludgy (in the UI), imo. Might be ok for tiny apps like yours.