Will JavaFX revolutionize RIA ?

Introduction

The RIA market is set to heat up starting from this year as the big three of RIA put their weight on the emerging web trend to put powerful and interactive application running on the web browser. Although Sun, Adobe and Microsoft are by no means the only player in the RIA arena, they are the prominent giants that have the necessary resources, infrastructures and capabilities to execute their vision. Despite other players such as Google’s GWT, Lasso, are gaining momentum  however these players are still  leveraging on ubiquitous AJAX technology which albeit readily supported by leading web browsers, it also ironically limit their potential severely due to impedance mismatch between JavaScript and interactive multimedia application. Moreover the AJAX-based solutions tend to suffer from complexity, performance and compatibility issues due to nature of web technology and indifference between various web browser. For example, versatile graphics and multimedia programming still remain the domain of true RIA solution.

JavaFX

Sun with its JavaFX branding of RIA is the new kid on the block to venture into this still growing untapped market. No doubt that Sun forays into this area aroused from competing giants like Microsoft and Adobe that invest heavily in RIA that may eventually threaten Sun’s valuable asset in Java. In fact, RIA is not new to Sun, and ironically, Sun put RIA into mainstream by introduce the applet back in 1995 which amaze the world how application running in the web browser could transform the user experience and bring the power of desktop application through ubiquitous web browser.  Unfortunately, due to Sun’s poor execution in Applet, applet has a tarnished reputation of being slow, bulky and unintuitive, notwithstanding that it is coupled with problems associated with different Java runtime in user’s system.

Work In Progress 

 

JavaFX finally unveiled to the public with excellent roadmap in JavaOne 2008. JavaFX is a major theme in the annual event. RIA is not new but the concept of able to install a Java application automatically by dragging out a applet and converting into a full desktop application from in a web browser is just fantastic and revolutionizing !

What it means that in the future, you will get full live working version of application in  the web browser, and should you like it anytime, just drag it out of the browser, and the application will permanently installed as a webstart application. That’s simply amazing and exhilarating. No RIA technology ever try this before. Just imagine a site that consolidate all cool JavaFX applet which offers Live Preview and interactivity.

Another notable feature is that the same application written in JavaFX is able to run unchanged in Desktop and mobile. That’s unbelievable. One source, multiple platform.

You don’t have to believe it, just see for yourself in the demo for JavaOne2008.

Though the technology hangs occasionally, the demo successfully highlights the potential of what JavaFX brings to developer. The power of Java RIA is a league itself with support planning for TV, mobile and desktop, a ambition that far beyond the current any other RIA solutions in the market. Will Sun able to deliver its promise ? Only time can tell and we don’t have to wait  too long to see it. By July this year, we can download the preview version of JavaFX desktop. Finally Java developers can finally has a tool at disposal that can do wonders and do Java proud.