New push framework for PrimeFaces

Version 3.4 of JSF component library PrimeFaces has been released – the open source library for web development with JavaServer Faces (JSF) now encompasses more than 100 components to help Java developers produce state-of-the-art web interfaces using HTML5 and Ajax.

Previous release candidates introduced new components such as MindMap, TabMenu, PanelMenu and ResetInput, while enhancing the Chart, DataTable, AutoComplete and other established components. The final release added custom action items for panel headers, made the editor available in iOS 5 and updated the library to use jQuery 1.8.1 and jQuery UI 1.8.23.

But the highlight of this release is the new push framework; PrimePush is based on the Atmosphere Framework and completely replaces the previous, two-year-old, system. The framework supports various containers and browsers and utilises transport protocols such as WebSockets, SSE, long polling, streaming and JSONP (JSON with padding). Jeanfrancois Arcand, the developer behind Atmosphere, also developed the PrimePush architecture and, according to the PrimeFaces team, will continue to contribute in future.

The new components and push technology join the existing array of Ajax, Input fields, buttons, data display controls, panels, overlays, menus, charts, message dialogs, multimedia presentation, file, drag/drop and other controls that make up PrimeFaces. A demonstration of the PrimeFaces components is available online.

PrimeFaces demonstrates its new MindMap component

The PrimeFaces team will now concentrate on readying PrimeFaces Mobile 1.0. They will then start work on a version of the PrimeFaces framework for ASP.NET WebForms, initially with 30 controls. PrimeFaces 3.5 should be out by the end of this year.

The updated documentation for PrimeFaces now runs to just under 500 pages. Free and paid-for versions, the latter for a nominal €1-10 fee, with identical content are available. The paid-for version of the documentation is a replacement for the previous donation-based fundraising model for the project, which apparently failed to work as expected. Binaries and source code are available under the Apache License 2.0 from the download page.

(Harald M. Genauck / djwm)