Hey everyone, I’m in a bit of a pickle here. We’ve got this Java server app that uses complex POJO messages for communication. Our usual client is a Flex app, but it’s too slow for quick testing. We’ve been using a basic console client, but now we need something more visual to track state across messages.
We’re looking for a way to quickly build Java UIs for our devs to test the backend. Swing is a pain to code by hand. I’ve checked out Eclipse RCP, but I’m worried it might be overkill. Is there a simpler version of that?
Has anyone used Spring RichClient, Groovy Swing Builder, or something similar for rapid UI prototyping? We need something with a short learning curve that our server devs can pick up easily.
Any suggestions would be super helpful. Thanks!
Have u considered using Griffon? It’s built on groovy and designed for rapid app development. might be perfect for ur testing needs! it combines mvc pattern with swing, javafx, or even javaFx. Plus, its got a cool convention-over-configuration approach. wat do u think about giving it a shot?
Have you considered JavaFX? It’s a modern UI toolkit for Java that’s relatively easy to pick up, especially if your team is already familiar with Java. JavaFX offers a more intuitive design approach compared to Swing, with FXML for layout and CSS for styling. This separation makes it easier to create and maintain UIs.
For rapid prototyping, you might want to look into SceneBuilder, a visual layout tool for JavaFX. It allows you to drag and drop components to create your UI, then generate the FXML code. This could significantly speed up your UI development process.
If you need even quicker development, you could explore JRuby with the Shoes framework. It’s incredibly fast for prototyping GUIs and has a very gentle learning curve. The downside is that it introduces a new language (Ruby) to your stack, which might not be ideal for your situation.
hey, have u tried javaFX? sceneBuilder makes drag-n-drop design real easy. also check out jformdesigner if you want to stick with swing. these options may speed up ur dev process without heavy overhead.