Pitfalls of JSF

Java Server Faces ( JSF ) is yet another Java Web Framework that promises to simplify the development of JEE-based web applications.

It deviates from the traditional "request-driven" approach adopted by MVC frameworks such as Struts & attempts to achieve the same with a component-driven model.

I am a fan of this Component-driven model & am still nostalgic about some of the work I did in Visual Basic, Oracle Forms, etc. many eons ago.

However, JSF, in its current version has a lot of pitfalls - some of the pitfalls are unique to JSF & drastically hinder the productivity gains that were promised in the JSF specification.

I was reading an interesting article on TheServerSide.com about the pitfalls of JSF . The article by Dennis Byrne was well written & covered some of the most important pain points in JSF.

I particular liked his last topic where he sympathizes with Portlet Developers. I found this sentence very emphatic :-

" I feel sorry for Portlet developers. I really do. These people are always on the mailing lists and forums with problem after problem and it's never their fault. If any group of people has been bent over by the standards bodies, it is Portlet application developers. "

Truly, a very good article that captures some burning issues that can keep a developer up all night.