Replacing JavaScript with Java?
Why? I admit, at first glance the idea of developing a highly usable Ajax web application using the Google Web Toolkit is intriguing. Java, after all, is our modern day COBOL. We get IDE support, have countless vendors to point fingers at and can bury grown men using the Java selection alone at our local B&N.
What does this have to do with Google Web Toolkit? Probably not a whole lot, but Google did ditch a powerful dynamic language (JavaScript) in exchange for a statically typed language (Java). They have built some fantastic software using it…but I agree with Justin, when I say, they’ve pushed it too far with this one.
- Debugging JavaScript errors in Java proves to be an interesting exercise.
- While we get out of the box widgets….all of my GWT apps look like they’re made in Google, complete with the kindergarten color scheme. Your mileage may vary.
- HTML, CSS and Javascript are relegated to bottom feeders of the view. No longer do we have separation of content and style, but a munge of both.
Something about this whole framework doesn’t feel right. But damn, some of their applications are neat.
