How do you create a Java EE web application with JSF?

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Prerequisites
• Steps to Create a Java EE Web Application with JSF
  • 1. Create a Maven Project
    • pom.xml Configuration
  • 2. Configure Faces Servlet in **web.xml**
  • 3. Create Managed Beans
    • Example: Managed Bean (HelloBean.java)
  • 4. Create JSF Pages
    • Example: JSF Page (index.xhtml)
  • 5. Run and Deploy the Application
  • 6. Navigate Between Pages
• Conclusion

Introduction

Java EE (Jakarta EE) provides a comprehensive platform for building enterprise-level web applications. JavaServer Faces (JSF) is a key component of the Java EE specification, offering a powerful framework for developing user interfaces (UIs) for web applications. JSF simplifies the development of web-based UIs by using reusable components, integrated navigation, and built-in support for data binding and validation.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to create a simple Java EE web application using JSF. We’ll cover setting up the environment, configuring JSF, creating managed beans, and implementing navigation between pages.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following:

• Java Development Kit (JDK) installed (Java 8 or above is recommended).
• Maven for managing dependencies.
• An IDE like IntelliJ IDEA, Eclipse, or NetBeans (optional, but recommended).
• A Java EE-compliant server, such as WildFly, Payara Server, or GlassFish.

Steps to Create a Java EE Web Application with JSF

1. Create a Maven Project

Start by creating a new Maven-based project, which helps manage dependencies easily. If you're using an IDE like IntelliJ IDEA or Eclipse, you can create a new Maven project through the IDE interface. Alternatively, you can create a basic Maven project manually.

pom.xml Configuration

In your pom.xml file, include the necessary dependencies for JSF. Here is an example of how to configure it:

In this configuration:

• JSF API and JSF implementation dependencies are included.
• The project is set up as a WAR (Web ARchive) for deploying to a web server.

2. Configure Faces Servlet in **web.xml**

In the web.xml file, configure the Faces Servlet to map requests to .faces or .xhtml pages. This is the core configuration to enable JSF for your application.

3. Create Managed Beans

Managed beans are Java classes that interact with the UI and business logic. These beans are typically annotated with @ManagedBean in JSF 2.x or @Named for CDI beans in Java EE. Here’s an example of a simple managed bean that will be used for user interaction.

Example: Managed Bean (HelloBean.java)

In this example:

• @Named makes the bean accessible in the JSF view (XHTML pages).
• @RequestScoped ensures that a new instance of the bean is created for each request.

4. Create JSF Pages

JSF uses XHTML pages for defining user interfaces. These pages are backed by managed beans, where UI components (like text boxes, buttons, etc.) interact with the bean’s properties.

Example: JSF Page (index.xhtml)

In this page:

• h:inputText is used to get user input, binding it to the name property of HelloBean.
• h:commandButton triggers the greet() method in the managed bean.
• h:outputText displays the greeting message.

5. Run and Deploy the Application

Once the project setup is complete, you can deploy your application to a Java EE server. If you’re using Maven, you can use the following command to build and deploy:

Deploy the WAR file to a Java EE-compliant server (e.g., Payara, WildFly, or GlassFish), and access it through your browser (e.g., http://localhost:8080/your-app-name/index.xhtml).

6. Navigate Between Pages

JSF allows you to easily navigate between pages using h:commandLink, h:button, or h:link. You can map navigation rules to methods in managed beans, or simply use the faces-config.xml file for more advanced configurations.

For example, to navigate to a new page (greeting.xhtml), you could use a link:

Conclusion

Creating a Java EE web application with JSF allows you to build modern web-based UIs using a component-based approach, where user interface components are tightly integrated with backend logic via managed beans. By configuring JSF, using managed beans for business logic, and building responsive XHTML pages, you can quickly develop robust web applications. With support for navigation, validation, and data binding, JSF offers a powerful framework for Java-based web development.

By following these steps, you can easily set up and deploy a Java EE application using JSF, making it a great choice for enterprise-level web applications.