GWT (Google Web Toolkit) review

UPDATED: 02 December 2013
GWT(Google Web Toolkit) project started by Google back in 2005 - 2006. Its an open source set of tools that allows web developers to build Javascript front-end applications in Java. It is licensed under the Apache License version 2.0. Now its enough talk about its history. Today will give review of GWT from level of programmer.

What drives me to write good part of GWT?
The only things I observed for good part of Google Web Toolkit. If there is something do comment for other viewer.

  • It converts whole front-end website in complex JavaScript code. Thats the best part of Google Web Toolkit. It create bunch of complex JavaScript code that event hard for you to understand. 
  • Provide table, tree structure and other stuff by just writing 30-40 lines of code. 

What drives me to write bad part of GWT?
Yeah, I'm eagerly waiting for this part to write. Only by converting front-end website into JavaScript doesn't mean its good for develop small or large application.

Web security
Converting front-end website into JavaScript not only thing provide security to website. Security always depends on quality code. Properly handled validation leads to secure website.

Hard to understand (Time Consumption Factor)
Its very hard for new developer to understand its flow. You need to train your developer for Google Web Toolkit. Can't find help on Google also.

Pain for developer (Time Consumption Factor)
Its my personal experience that sometime just for CSS change you've to compile whole code.

- You can't access localhost website running in eclipse from other machine. You need to compile and create war and have to up in server. [In JSP, Servlet, Struts, etc... you can access localhost website running in eclipse from other system directly. Not required to compile and up it in server]

- You can't use all java package at client level. Check link to see which class supported by Google Web Toolkit http://www.gwtproject.org/doc/latest/RefJreEmulation.html#Package_java_io

- In some case GWT store cache in browser and website stops working and throws unexpected errors. You need to clean history of browser to let it work.

- To use some library you have to configure tons of thing in it. To use simple JSON library you have to waste more than 2-3 hours. Sometime works and sometime compilation error for just JSON. So you can imagine how hard to use external libraries.

- Last but not least. You can't use jQuery directly.


Conclusion
I would recommend not to use Google Web Toolkit at all. Even Google is not using GWT for their wide range of products. You may find very rare companies working on GWT.

@Developer: Don't do Job or Work for GWT.
@Manager, @Company: Just throw GWT and start working on other technologies. That may save your time and can work on other features for your product.

0 comments :