Review of Java EE 6 Development with NetBeans 7

Review of Java EE 6 Development with NetBeans 7 

One could sometimes argue that a disadvantage of open source community projects is that relevant documentation is written and maintained by people who, while often possessing great technical skills, may or may not excel in writing. Often too, one finds that the documentation is written to cover the authors specific project which often leads to the documentation either trying to cover ALL ASPECTS OF PROGRAMMING or, perhaps even worse, paint sketchy images of what might be possible to produce but leaves the reader frustrated with lack of information.

In this regard, Java EE 6 Development with NetBeans 7 is a gem! In the beginning of the book it clearly states what it will cover and for whom it is written and then goes on to do just that!

”The book is aimed at three different types of developers:

• Java developers (not necessarily familiar with NetBeans) wishing to become proficient in Java EE 6, and who wish to use NetBeans for Java EE development.
• NetBeans users wishing to find out how to use their IDE of choice to develop Java EE 6 applications.
• Experienced Java EE 6 developers wishing to find out how NetBeans can make their Java EE 6 development easier. ”

And after reading it you will know what NetBeans can do for you regarding most popular Java EE development needs. It's as simple as that.

You will not be lead astray on any strange off-topics but rather efficiently be guided, from chapter to chapter, through the various available options and their pros and cons. Since I think a lot in images, the books extensive use of screen shoots and code examples (yes, of course they are available online) helped fast understanding and even though I've been using NetBeans professionally since 3.6, I found myself wanting to “try it out” after reading every chapter. It was only the fact that I didn’t have access to my workstation during the time of reading that made it possible for me to finish the book in a reasonable time.

What you will not get however, is any in depth arguments of why you would choose a certain technical Java EE technique. In my opinion, the reader should know that this book concerns itself more about how a certain desired objective is met rather than why you would want this or that. If you want deeper knowledge of, for instance, why you would want to “Generate Session Beans from JPA entities” perhaps you should find a book about that first and then grab this one as soon as you are ready to get your hands dirty.

Oh, and by the way, any aspiring NetBeans user will benefit from reading the chapters about how the IDE works in general regarding everything from Code Completion and built-in Project and File wizards to the integrated Debugger and Profiler tools. Not convinced? Here is a sample chapter. So there you have my two cents, I'm clicking the New Project button now...