The z2 environment is a new approach to managing the lifecycle of Java solutions that aims to eliminate complex build systems, improve integration between components, and simplify operations like development and scaling. It works by loading updates directly from source control repositories, compiling code on the fly, and defining an entire solution within a single repository structure called a system. This system-centric approach is demonstrated using a travel portal application with 250,000 lines of Java code. While z2 is not intended to replace build tools like Maven, it is well-suited for developing integrated solutions.

1. Beyond Ant & Maven:
System Centric Java
Development with Z2
Henning Blohm
ZFabrik Software KG
Submission #188

2. The z2-Environment is a radically new
approach to solution life cycle
management in Java
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3. Motivation
> Get rid of Build & Deploy
No out-of-sync Build infrastructure
No missing secondary assembly description
No incomplete deployments
> Fix the Integration Leak:
Make sure you get the latest - always
Isolation as exception
> Simplify life-cycle operations:
Develop & Fix
Scale out
In other words: Improve solution life cycle handling
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4. The Trouble w/ Build Systems
Local Build environments…
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Are complex to maintain and debug
Hold solution artifacts in the wrong place
Repeat structural information of the solution
Decouple Runtime from Solution definition
Make it hard to start something new…
Imply non-trivial investment in production infrastructure
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5. Leaking Integration
Runtime
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You
The Truth
Solutions evolve from small and simple to large and modular
Solution!=infrastructure => Distributed complexity
Sync & Build & Deploy error prone => Developers defer integration
Runtime!=Truth => You are on a deadly non-integration vector!
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6. Fixing the Integration Leak
1. Pump!
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Add infrastructure on the side to validate and support
E.g. Continuous Integration w/ ANT or Maven (+Repos) et al
But the following seems to be the case:
2. Plug the leak!
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Z2-Environment
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7. How does Z2 work
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The Z2 runtime loads updates directly from the SCM
Compilation (e.g. for Java) is done by the runtime when necessary
Local override from workspace for local development
The whole solution defined in one repository structure == a System
We call it a System-Centric approach

8. Travel Portal: About ~250 kLoJC, 7.5kLoJSPC
DEMO
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9. Z2 Integrations
> Z2 with Spring
– Spring for the in-module wiring
– Z2 for the cross-module wiring
> Z2 with Hadoop
– Map/Reduce jobs as integrated componens
– Full cross-module re-use
> Z2 with Quartz
– Jobs as integrated components
> ... You get the point.
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10. What Z2 is not…
> Z2 is no replacement for Maven
– Maven is for many smallish independent projects that
want to re-use
– I.e. it’s Apache
> Z2 is not useful for library development
– Unless it’s a tool based on the solution
– … Z2 is really for solution development (once more…)
> Z2 is no build tool
– It is possible to download binaries
– Useful for e.g. automated, scheduled Unit Tests
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11. Henning Blohm
www.z2-environment.eu
ZFabrik Software KG
henning.blohm@zfabrik.de