JFXtras Project: More cool features for your JavaFX app

JFXtras in an open source project that provides a bunch of interesting components and pieces to make your JavaFX application even more productive, engaging, and, yes, sexy. And saves you coding time along the way.

Check out the new JFXtras Ensemble demo, which showcases in one fell swoop all the features and bits you can take advantage of. Also, bookmark Jim Weaver’s excellent blog to keep up with all things JavaFX and rich client.

Cheers,

– Terrence

Open sourcing of JavaFX: OpenJFX Project proposed

A few weeks ago at JavaOne, Oracle announced its intention to open source the JavaFX platform.

To that effect, Oracle yesterday proposed to the OpenJDK mailing list the creation of the OpenJFX Project as the home not only for the JavaFX source code, but also for current and future development of the JavaFX toolkit in an open development model.

This is a significant step for the JavaFX technology and the OpenJDK project and demonstrates quite clearly Oracle’s commitment to open source, transparency, community building, and the success of JavaFX.

Some info on the planned OpenJFX contribution:

• Over 6000+ public API members (methods/constructors/etc.)
• Over 11,500 unit tests
• Core libraries such as observable collections and binding
• Scene graph, effects, graphics
• CSS support for JavaFX
• Media
• WebView
• Prism (hardware accelerated graphics, including openGL and D3D and java2D implementations)
• Glass (windowing system, base porting layer, including mac, linux, and windows implementations)
• UI Controls and Charts

More background information can also be found on the FX EXPERIENCE blog.

Cheers,

– Terrence

JavaOne 2011: First Wrap-Up

Finally, I get a chance to catch my breath. JavaOne has been extremely busy and while there are still a few hours of good talks to go here is a quick summary so far:

General observations:

The vibe is very positive. Attendance is significantly up over previous years and the show is well organized. Feedback from attendees has been very excouraging – lots of good buzz on #javaone and other social channels. Many sessions are sold out or standing-room only.

Announcements:

This year’s JavaOne left no doubt Java is moving again, and picking up steam. Throughout the conference and in the various keynotes there was a host of announcements, strategic initiatives, roadmaps, product releases and updates.

I’ll try to summarize, focusing on the Java Platform, Java SE, and Java ME technologies:

Java SE and the Java Platform:

• Oracle announces plans for advancing the Java SE Platform, including a vision beyond JDK 8
• A JDK 7 for Mac OS X Developer Preview is now available, with full developer and consumer releases planned for 2012
• NetBeans 7.1 Beta is now available, featuring full Java SE 7 support
• Oracle details plans for JDK 8, proposed features, and a revised roadmap with extended scope, now scheduled for availability in summer 2013
• Oracle is continuing its work to merge the HotSpot and JRockit JVMs, with the first converged features available in JDK 7
• IBM announces availability of Java SE 7 across its products lines, the faster ever adoption of a new Java SE release by IBM
• Oracle recently announced availability of Java SE 7 for Embedded on ARM and x86 platforms

OpenJDK:

• OpenJDK hosts the development of JDK 7 for Mac OS X, JDK 8, and becomes the reference implementation for Java SE 8 and beyond
• Twitter joins OpenJDK

JavaFX and Rich Client UI Technology:

• The JavaFX 2.0 GA for Windows is now available
• A JavaFX 2.0 for Mac OS X Developer Preview is now available, with GA releases planned starting 2012
• NetBeans 7.1 Beta is now available, with JavaFX 2.0 support
• Oracle details JavaFX roadmap to 2013, including cross-platform support for Mac OS X and Linux
• Oracle announces plans to open source the JavaFX platform in the OpenJDK project
• A private Beta for JavaFX Scene Builder is now available, with public Beta planned in early 2012
• Oracle announces Project ‘Avatar’: A complete solution for Dynamic Rich Clients, including HTML5 support and back-end integration

Java ME:

• Oracle increases investment in Java ME
• Oracle Java Wireless Client (OJWC) 3.1 is now available
• Oracle announces plans to evolve the Java ME Platform and align Java ME with Java SE 7 through:
• • Submission of new JSRs over the coming months
  • Updates of the CLDC Platform VM and library specifications to enable better alignment with Java SE 7 features
  • Creation of a “CDC Profile” in Java SE 8, which allows deployment of Java SE 8 implementations in resource-constrained environments
• JavaFX to become the graphics framework of choice for mid-range and high-end embedded platforms
• Oracle announces intent for full coverage of embedded vertical markets
• Oracle plans increased and deeper integration of Java ME with content services (“Mobile Services Integration”)

For more information and details, please see the related press releases:

• Oracle Continues to Move Java Forward and Details Java SE 8 Roadmap
• Oracle Highlights Java EE Momentum at JavaOne Conference
• Oracle Releases JavaFX 2.0
• Oracle Increases Investment in Java ME
• Oracle Announces Winners of the 2011 Duke’s Choice Awards
• Oracle Previews NetBeans IDE 7.1: Delivers Support for JavaFX 2.0

Summary

After speaking to many developers over the past days it’s clear JavaOne has brought renewed excitement and energy to the Java community. I personally am particularly excited about Java FX 2.0, the Mac OS X support for JDK 7 and JavaFX, and bringing Java ME back to the mainstream platform again.

Two more related links:

• JavaOne celebrates the success of enterprise Java (InfoWorld)
• Oracle shows JavaFX on iOS and Android (MacWorld)

Cheers,

– Terrence

OSCON Java 2011: Video Highlights

Yes, I know, I’m a bit late (I was on vacation for a week) – OSCON is already over. I didn’t attend myself but I heard there was a lot of good content at OSCON Java – some of which is already published on YouTube.

Here are just a few of the ones I found interesting (and I’m sure there’s more):

• Patrick Curran: “Who needs Standards?”
• Jim Weaver: “JavaFX in the Real World”
• Bob Lee: “On the Cusp of a Java Renaissance”
• Josh Bloch: “Java: The Good, Bad, and Ugly Parts”
• Steven G. Harris: “Open Source, Java, and Oracle – Cracking the Code”

Enjoy!

Cheers,

– Terrence

Java 7 Launch + Events

Java 7 will be launched this Thursday, July 7, 2011. This release puts Java back on the tracks with a host of new features and improvements, moving Java 7 forward for developers, the industry, and the ecosystem.

To learn about this new release, please join us for the Java 7 Launch Event, held simultaneously in California, Brazil, and the U.K.:

• Redwood Shores, CA, USA (Thursday, 9:00 am PT)
• Sao Paulo, Brazil (Thursday, 1:00 pm BRT)
• London, UK (Thursday, 5:00 pm BST)

or attend one of the many Java 7 events around the world, organized by local Java User Groups (JUGs).  Find your local JUG here. For a list of JUG events see The Java Spotlight Podcast episode #37 (planned for publication tomorrow, July 5th).

If you can’t attend an event in person you can view the webcast by registering:

Cheers,

– Terrence

OpenOffice moves to Apache, JTHarness 4.4 released

Back from vacation, catching up with open source news:

• Open Office has moved to the Apache Incubator. Check out Christian Grobmeier’s blog for more information.
• JTHarness is an open source, general-purpose, full-features, flexible, and configurable test harness. Version 4.4 was released a few days ago and adds a few new features as well as a number of bug fixes. See the JTHarness project page for more information.

Cheers,

– Terrence

Google Analytics API for Java ME

Ernandes Mourao Junior is cranking out good stuff. A while ago I blogged about his excellent Twitter API ME project – I’ve used it myself and it works very well.

Among other things he is working on, Ernandes now has released the Google Analytics ME API.

Quote:

Google Analytics ME is a compelling and well defined API for Java ME and Android developers who wish to integrate their apps into Google Analytics. With this API, developers will be able to prepare their apps to send out useful data, about how users are interacting with them. Those data will be valuable to identify, e.g., audience and improvement points.

The project page has a few introductory code snippets, the code itself, as well as links to further documentation on Google Analytics. Looks pretty straightforward – I hope to be able to give this a spin soon.

Thanks, Ernandes – and keep up the good work!

Cheers,

– Terrence

Interview: Oracle Senior VP Steve Harris on Oracle’s Vision of Java

Check out this interview with Steve Harris, Oracle’s Senior VP of Application Server Development, on Java in general and it’s role at Oracle, adapting to change, the JCP, Java ME and Java ME.next, Java EE 6, Glassfish, and cloud computing.

Nothing here should be shockingly new – it has been broadcast before in a number of ways, but the interview is a compact summary of Oracle’s current vision for Java.

Cheers,

– Terrence

SigTest 2.2 Milestone Release

The SigTest open source project is a collection of tools based on Oracle’s commercial SigTest tools product. The SigTest tools can be used to compare APIs and to measure the test coverage of an API.

The tools were originally created to assist in the creation of Java technology compatibility test suites (TCKs), but are also useful in the creation of other types of test suites and in the software development process.

With SigTest 2.2, we are expanding the SigTest project to include other tools based on the same signature testing technology as the SigTest to itself. SigTest now includes API Check tool functionality, a static analysis tool used to analyze APIs. SigTest 2.2 also adds Maven wrappers, as well as support for upcoming JDK 8 features. SigTest also includes numerous bug fixes.

The SigTest project continues to develop a community that will improve it, further its development, and use it to develop test suites. We encourage you to browse, download, contribute, and get involved.

Cheers,

– Terrence

TechCast recap: “Java and Oracle, One Year Later”

The TechCast “Java and Oracle, One Year Later” is now available in the OTN archives. Ajay Patel, VP Product Development, talks about a wide range of topics, changes, and plans since the Sun acquisition happened a year ago.

Some key quotes (partially paraphrased):

• “One key thing we have learned … Java is not just a platform, it is also an ecosystem, and you can’t have an ecosystem without a community.”
• “The objectives, strategically [for Java at Oracle] have been pretty clear: How do we drive adoption, how do we build a larger, stronger developer community, how do we really make the platform much more competitive.”
• “It’s about transparency, involvement. IBM, RedHat, Apple have all agreed to working with us to make OpenJDK the best platform for open source development … it is a sign that the community has been waiting to move the Java platform forward.”
• “It’s not just about Oracle anymore, it’s about Java, the technology, the community, the developer base, and how we work with them to move the innovation forward.”
• “Java is strategic to Oracle, and the community is strategic for Java to be successful … it is critical to our business.”
• On JavaFX 2.0: “… is coming to beta soon, with a release planned in second half [of 2011] … will give you a new, high-performance graphics engine, the new API for JavaFX … you will see a very strong, relevant platform for levering rich media platforms.”
• On the JDK and SE: “… aggressively moving forward, JDK 7 is now code complete … looking good for getting JDK 7 out by summer as we promised. Started work on JDK 8, Jigsaw and Lambda are moving along nicely, on track for JDK 8 release next year … good progress.”
• On Java EE and Glassfish: “… Very excited to have Glassfish 3.1 released, with clustering and management capabilities … working with the JCP to shortly submit a number of JSRs for Java EE 7 … You’ll see Java EE 7 becoming the platform for cloud-based development.”
• “You will see Oracle continue to step up to this role of Java steward, making sure that the language, the technology, the platform … is competitive, relevant, and widely adopted.”

Highly recommended viewing.

Cheers,

– Terrence