JSF Crud Application Example

Date: 2017-05-23

This article details the creation of a JavaServer Faces (JSF) application using Eclipse, Tomcat, and MySQL to manage a student database. The application demonstrates CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) functionality, a fundamental aspect of database interaction. CRUD operations provide the basic interface for users to interact with data, allowing them to add new entries, view existing data, modify information, and remove entries as needed. In the context of a student database, this would translate to adding new student details, viewing existing student records, updating information like addresses or grades, and removing student records when they leave the institution. The application leverages Bootstrap, a responsive CSS framework, to create a visually appealing and user-friendly interface.

The development process begins with setting up the environment. This includes installing and configuring Eclipse Kepler SR2, a Java Development Kit (JDK) version 8 or higher (although the article mentions compatibility with JDK 1.7), the Tomcat 7 application server, and the MySQL database. A crucial step is downloading and including the MySQL Connector/J JAR file, which allows the Java application to communicate with the MySQL database. This involves obtaining the necessary JAR file, typically a .jar file, from a reliable source and placing it in the correct directory within the project's structure. The article suggests using a specific version (5.1.18), but newer, compatible versions are also acceptable.

The project structure is described, outlining the organization of files and folders. The creation of a new Dynamic Web Project within Eclipse is explained step-by-step. This involves navigating through menus, filling in project details, and configuring settings to integrate JSF 2.2 (using the Mojarra implementation), which is a Java framework for building user interfaces. This step involves downloading and adding JSF libraries to the project, ensuring the application can process JSF requests and render web pages using JSF components. The project's web.xml file is also configured, which is a crucial component that serves as the deployment descriptor for the web application.

The database setup is critical. The tutorial specifies the creation of a database named students with a table called student_record containing the student's data (presumably fields such as student ID, name, address, and so on). The process of creating this database and table within MySQL Workbench (or a similar MySQL administration tool) is implicitly described, emphasizing that this is a prerequisite for the application to function correctly. The article also addresses a minor modification required in the Bootstrap CSS file: adjusting the paths to font files to ensure correct rendering of fonts within the web application.

The creation of the user interface (UI) is a significant part of the process. The article guides the user through the creation of three key XHTML files: studentsList.xhtml, createStudent.xhtml, and editStudent.xhtml. These files use JSF components to create forms and displays for listing students, adding new students, and updating existing student information. The use of JSF components (e.g., <h:outputStylesheet>) for incorporating CSS and other resources is also highlighted. The XHTML code itself isn't provided, but the purpose of each file and the general structure are clearly explained, enabling readers to understand the flow and functionality.

Next, the creation of the Java classes is detailed. Two primary classes are created: StudentBean and DatabaseOperation. StudentBean acts as a managed bean in the JSF application, handling the interaction between the UI and the database operations. It manages data retrieval, updating, and other logic related to student information. DatabaseOperation, on the other hand, is a Data Access Object (DAO) class, responsible for interacting directly with the MySQL database using SQL queries. Methods for inserting new records (CREATE), retrieving records (READ), updating existing records (UPDATE), and deleting records (DELETE) are implemented within this class. The detailed code for these classes isn't provided, but their roles and interactions are well-explained.

The article concludes with deployment instructions, outlining how to deploy the application to the Tomcat 7 server within Eclipse. It then shows the final interface including the student list display page, the student creation form, the student update form, and the expected output after adding, updating, or deleting records. Screenshots illustrate the application's user interface and the outcome of various operations.

The article's post-publication discussion highlights several issues faced by readers, including the location of the MySQL Connector/J JAR file, potential issues with path configurations, and troubleshooting steps for resolving 404 errors during deployment. This section reflects the practical challenges encountered during the development process and provides valuable insights into potential problems and their solutions. The reader comments demonstrate the practical application and the challenges of implementing the application. The article highlights the collaborative aspect of software development by including questions from readers and responses from the author.

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