| ASP .NET I recommend that you visit the ASP .NET site. This is one of the fastest growing languages to date in regard to building web appications of all sizes. For one, you are not limited to one scripting language. You can choose to either develop with C#, VB, or J#. So if you have a Visual Basic or Java background, then you leverage your current skills and use them with the ASP .NET technology. |
Cold Fusion Adobe created another rapid development envionment called Cold Fusion. It's middleware and has a application server that functions with any web server. It is an open platform soultion because it runs on windows, unix, and linux. CFML is the scripting language and is very easy to comprehend. As a developer you should take a look at this suite of tools. They are a great alternative to developing applications on non-windows hardware platforms. |
| VB .NET Visual Basic is very popular and is now even more robust with VB.NET. If your a Visual Basic programmer you have to check out the new platform for developing VB apps. Because of the SDK Framework and the new component object classes. This will also be a very good platform for developing and migrating old applications . Afterall, there are so many web apps already built using Visual Basic 6 |
Flash Remoting This is one of the latest and greatest developments from Adobe. It is the basis for developing RIA (Rich Internet Applications) for the internet. The latest release of Flash MX 2004 is a Component based environment similar to the .NET components. THis allows you to build sites and applications faster since most of the widgets are pre-built. Remoting using Flash MX allows you to build a RIA that allows the application to reduce the amount of server hits because now the Client side contains application logic. |
| .NET Framework Do I need to say anymore. Microsoft has hit a home run with the .NET Framework which supports the CLR (Common Language Runtime) envionment. Also, in my opinion, this with the release of Windows 2003 Server and Visual Studio .Net 2005, Microsoft has now laid the groundwork and created a suite of tools that can be used by anyone who desires to build web apps. |
RIA - Rich Internet Applications RIA's are becoming more known now that everyone has seen Flash Remoting capabilities. I believe this is just the tip of the iceberg, because Adobe has just annouced FLEX, a true RIA development tool using XML and its own scripting language to obtain a Fantastic Client Side experience for the user. Flex is still in beta and plans are for a Second quarter release. If you interested in creating the maximum experience for the user than you should consider an RIA application. |
Multi-tier Architecture - Web App Development and Project Management
HoraceShells.com is a website I am dedicating to bringing design and developer tips for everyone seeking resources in developing applications for .NET, Adobe and RIA platforms. Also, i am updating the site with Project Management tips and tools such as UML and Use Case websites. I feel the two primary platforms that have emerged for Windows Applications and Forms are the .NET and Adobe Solutions. Microsoft ASP.NET C# and VB .NET , as well as Cold Fusion from Adobe are very rapid development environments that any developer today should be aware of and begin obtaining skillsets in this area. I will be focusing on these technologies because I have experience using them professionally and I have over 15 years building applications from Legacy to PC/Server platforms. The programs and examples I use will consist of code written in C#, VB, and Cold Fusion scripting. Also I have an extensive list of resouce links to the above languages and framework. Please be patient, for the site is still being built as I speak. So drop back from time to time and see what new resources I have added to help you make better decisons on the correct approach and solution to focus on when developing Web Applications and Windows Forms for the Intranet or Internet.
Web App Development
3-Tier Architecture is currently the correct way to develop a Web Application of any size today. For example, refer to the image on the left and you will see that the application is divided into
3 seperate tiers, the lower level being the Data Layer or Database tier, then the middle layer
being the Business Logic Layer where all logic rules reside pertaining to your application, and
last the upper tier or Client Tier where the presentation is displayed.
The reason they call it
N-Tier is because now like the ever changing internet, 3-tier architecture is now 4-tiers. The client tier or
top-level has been divided into two tiers, one being the Client Tier or User Interface and the new
one called the
Presentation Tier. You shouldn't be surprised at this because like everything on the internet it
will be constantly morhphing. All developers who know the rapid changes that the internet
conceives will always develop with this in mind. The Internet will always continue to change and
therefore you must develop your applications with an open solution in order to minimize future
impact.
Let discuss the Data Layer. Normally, this is where the database resides and ideally if you use either SQL Server or Oracle you should be able to handle an application of any scale. Next, the Business Layer, here usually is where we house our middleware or application servers, for example, Microsoft .NET Framework, Cold Fusion, or IBM Websphere just to mention a few. Also, this is where the Web Server resides as well. Last, lets look at the upper Tier which may or may not be split into two tiers. If you developing a regular Windows Forms application you may just go with a single presentaion layer. But, if you are developing an RIA web application, then this is where the tier is split into the Client Tier and the Presentaion Tier. The Client Tier will contain the user interface validation and verification rules and the Presentation Tier will be built with some type of Remoting prototype, for instance Flash Remoting.