Derek C. Ashmore - The Java EE Architects Handbook, Second Edition: How to be a successful application architect for Java EE applications

T he Java EE Architects Handbook was written for application architects and senior developers tasked with designing and leading the development of Java EE applications. The objective of this book is to help you fulfill the application architect role in a Java EE project. If you are a senior developer needing to fill the role of an application architect for the first time, this book will help you succeed. If you are already an application architect, this book will empower you with additional skills so that you can improve your ability to fulfill that role. This book provides numerous strategies, guidelines, tips, tricks, and best practices to help the junior architect navigate the entire development process, from analysis through application deployment and support. To help you achieve success as a Java EE application architect, the book presents the following material:

• A basic framework for filling the role of application architect at every stage of the project life cycle
• Architect-level tips, tricks, and best practices at each stage of development
• Tips, tricks, and best practices for establishing coding standards to make code consistent and more maintainable
• Tips, tricks, and best practices for creating and communicating designs
• Estimation and project-planning material

This edition of the handbook concentrates on application architect deliverables at each stage of development. That is, the book describes discrete tasks typically performed by the application architect and provides tips and techniques for performing these tasks. As many learn best by example, this book will provide examples of your deliverables.

Readers of the first edition might be confused by the title change for the second edition. The first edition of the book was titled The J2EE Architects Handbook. The term J2EE was deprecated in 2006 and replaced with the term Java Enterprise Edition or Java EE for short. Essentially, both terms refer to the same platform.

This book will not teach you how to program Java EE applications. While most application architects do code parts of the applications they support, they do so in their capacity of a developer, not in their capacity of application architect. The marketplace is replete with technical books that provide instruction on how to code Java EE applications. This book will complement, but not attempt to duplicate, that material. While there is sample code in the book, its purpose is to illustrate application architecture concepts; not to be a detailed instructional guide on how to write code.

This book is not a study guide for any of the certification exams for Java and Java EE technologies provided by the Oracle Corporation. Those exams concentrate purely on technical skills. While technical skills are necessary to be an effective application architect, they are not sufficient. The role of application architect transcends raw technical ability. Architects must be effective communicators, must work well with other team members, and must be able to understand the business aspects and requirements for the end user areas their applications support. None of these facets of being an effective application architect is measured by any of the certification exams.

Furthermore, the book is not for beginners. Readers should know Java syntax and basic Java EE concepts and have at least an intermediate programming skill set and basic experience with the following:

• Relational databases, SQL, JDBC, and a JPA implementation such as Hibernate
• JSPs, servlets, and experience with at least one web framework (e.g., Spring-MVC, Struts, Java Server Faces)
• Experience working with what are commonly open source projects such as Apache Commons, Spring, Hibernate, and many more
• Experience working with a development team