The document discusses a workspace framework that allows for composing and integrating various tools. It can be used to build rich client applications and management functionality. The framework provides a sandbox for tool development that includes a GWT SDK, build environment, and versioning/repository. It aims to lower the barrier for tool creation and foster collaboration. Examples of existing tools built on it include Drools Guvnor and Riftsaw Console. The status is that version 1.0 was released in March 2010 and it is being used in several JBoss projects. The roadmap focuses on requirements from SOA-P like migrating Guvnor and integrating identity management tools.

1. Heiko Braun <hbraun@redhat.com>
Mar 2010

2. Agenda
• What is it?
• What can it be used for?
• Why should I care?
• Building blocks
• Project status

3. What is it?

4. Workspaces and tools
• Workspace is a collection of tools
• Tools represent anything you like
• Build in GWT
• Workspaces is UI framework ...
• ... but also a development environment
• API, Sandbox, Repository
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5. UI Framework
• Foundation to which to deploy your tools
• Provides loading, initialization and access to
tools
• Consists of common, shared API and
services
• Authentication, Logging, Exception
Handling, etc
5

6. Development environment
• Not just another GWT library
• Provides complete sandbox:
- GWT SDK installation
- Build environment
• Ways to distribute and integrate tool implementations:
- Versioning
- Repository
• Aims at:
- Low barrier entry point
- Collaboration
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7. What can it be used for?

8. Use cases
• Building rich client applications
• Management functionality beyond operational
level
• Few constraints on tool implementation
• High expectations on:
- User experience
- Interactivity
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9. i.e Drools Guvnor
> http://www.jboss.org/drools/drools-guvnor.html
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10. i.e Riftsaw Console
> http://http://www.jboss.org/riftsaw 10

11. Why should I care?

12. Considerations
• Tool composition at various stages
- sandbox, project, product
• Different feature set, maturity and target
audience
• Tool interplay important part of the strategy
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13. Composition and
interplay
• i.e. Guvnor and BPM Console
• Distinct tools on a project level
• Composition at product level
• Or simply re-use of tools in other projects
• Picketbox Identity Management tools
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14. Building blocks

15. Workspace sandbox
• Low barrier entry point
• Java knowledge, IDE, API Docs
• Environment to build, test and distribute your tools
• Maven archetype
• Auto GWT setup
• Includes necessary libraries
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16. Sandbox example
(1) mvn archetype:generate [...]
(2) Define value for groupId: : org.picketbox.console
Define value for artifactId: : IdentityManagement
Define value for version: 1.0-SNAPSHOT
Define value for package: org.picketbox.console
(3) cd IdentityManagement
mvn gwt:run
(4) Point your browser to http://localhost:xyz
(5) Open IDE and start hacking
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17. Workspace API
• Reduction of boilerplate
• Use to wire tools within a workspace
• Split between
- user (building tools)
- framework (extending workspace)
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18. User API Sample
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19. Federation of tools
• Leverage central repository
• Maven in this case
• Mix and match:
• Project vs. Product
• JBoss vs. 3rd Party
• Foster re-use and extendability
• Divide and conquer
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20. Status and roadmap

21. Status
• Released 1.0 in March 2010
• Baseline for tool development
• Ready to get your hands on
• Already used in
- Riftsaw, jBPM and Drools Flow
• 8 weeks release cycle
> http://jboss.org/errai
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22. Roadmap
• Focus on SOA-P requirements, i.e.
• Guvnor/ BRMS migration
• Picketbox management tools
• Apache JUUDI console
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23. Q&A