Java developers can easily create Rich UIs with Google Web Toolkit (GWT) or Adobe Flex, so why would they choose one over the other? Come to this session to learn the pros and cons of each framework in an entertaining atmosphere. In one corner, we have UI consultant, Matt Raible with bright red GWT gloves. In the opposite corner, we have Adobe’s James Ward with his sinister black Flex gloves, ready to put a smackdown on the Open Web. In this session you learn about the pros and cons of both GWT and Flex, when it's appropriate to use each framework, and where each framework is headed in the future.

1. FLEX VS. GWT SMACKDOWN
With Matt Raible and James Ward
Images by Stuck in Customs - http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms

2. INTRODUCTIONS
Who is Matt Raible?
Who is using GWT?
Who is James Ward?
Who is using Flex?
What do you want to learn
today?

3. SESSION AGENDA
What are Rich Internet Applications?
The Smackdown
Success Stories
Pitfalls
How to choose?
Q and A

4. WHAT DEFINES RICH?
According to Simon
Whatley:
“[RIAs] combine the best
user interface functionality
of desktop software
applications with the broad
reach and low-cost
deployment of Web
applications and the best of
interactive, multimedia
communication.”

5. WIKIPEDIA’S DEFINITION
Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) are web
applications that have most of the characteristics
of desktop applications, typically delivered either
by way of a standards-based web browser, via a
browser plug-in, or independently via sandboxes
or virtual machines. Examples of RIA frameworks
include Ajax, Curl, GWT, Adobe Flash/Adobe
Flex/AIR, Java/JavaFX, Apache Pivot, Mozilla's
XUL, OpenLaszlo and Microsoft Silverlight.

6. OUR DEFINITION
A one-page application that
doesn’t require a page
transition.

7. LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE!

8. TEXT
Right-to-left languages
unsupported in Flex

9. DRAWING
Flex can draw

10. PRINTING
Flex has issues printing
from the browser

11. DRAG N’
DROP
Flex has easy drag n’ drop
support

12. CSS
GWT has CSS support, not
like Flex’s proprietary
support

13. VALIDATORS
&
FORMATTERS
Flex has effects, form
layout, validators and
formatters

14. JSON SUPPORT
GWT supports JSON out-
of-the-box

15. IE6 SUPPORT
Flex works across all
browsers

16. IPHONE
SUPPORT
GWT works on the iPhone

17. VIDEO
Flash Video is the absolute
number one video format
on the web

18. PERFORMANCE
Making your app “pop”

19. COMPONENTS
Tour de Flex

20. TOOLS
Speed Tracer
IDEs

21. PROGRAMMING
MODEL
“GWT is nothing more
than a JSP Tag Library”
-- Matt Raible

22. SUCCESS STORIES
Google Wave
Evite
Picnik
Mercedes-Benz USA
My Oracle Support
Others?

23. AVOID PITFALLS
Don’t load everything
on the first page load.
Slower machines can
mean slower clients.
Know your users!
Don’t use for sites, only
for applications.

24. HOW TO CHOOSE?
Prioritize a list of features that are important to your
application.
Pick 3-4 frameworks and do a 1-week spike with
each, developing the same application.
Document and rank each framework against your list
of features.
Calculate and choose!

25. CONCLUSION
GWT and Flex are great technologies, use them wisely.

26. QUESTIONS?
Contact Information
http://raibledesigns.com
http://jamesward.com
Download Presentation
http://slideshare.net/mraible