Spring Surf Extension Launched

14 December 2009

Spring Surf Extension is a view composition framework for developing content-rich Java-based web applications. Spring Surf was originally developed by Alfresco Software and has now been contributed to the Spring open source community under the Apache license, version 2.0.

High-end web sites such as travel and e-commerce sites use Spring to integrate enterprise and back-end systems, but often need more extensive web frameworks and content services. Spring Surf furthers ease-of-development with Spring by providing a scriptable approach to defining web pages, templates and components. Spring Surf enables developers to script views and content renditions on top of either new or existing Spring MVC projects.

In addition, Spring Surf provides a number of useful libraries for developers including Web Scripts, which enables the construction of scriptable remote REST interfaces to an application. Spring Surf also includes tools to further accelerate the pace of application development, including an add-on for scriptable, command-driven configuration to Spring Roo, a new productivity tool for Java developers, and getting started plugins for the SpringSource Tool Suite (STS), the best development environment for building Spring-powered enterprise Java applications.

"Alfresco and SpringSource share a common vision for providing more modular and productive web application development frameworks. We welcome this contribution and are pleased to have Alfresco as an active member of the Spring community," said Rod Johnson, General Manager of the SpringSource Division of VMware and the creator of Spring.

"This is a significant contribution. Alfresco has invested considerable effort in Spring Surf, which provides a viable alternative to Apache Tiles for the construction of rich web pages from reusable components," commented Keith Donald, lead of the Web Application Development Products Team at SpringSource.

Spring Surf provides Java developers with the following functionality for use with Spring version 3.0:

-- A view composition and page layout framework for Spring MVC web applications
-- A complementary scripting framework that works with Spring MVC, Spring Web Flow, and Grails
-- Hooks into both the Content Management Interoperability Service (CMIS) specification and Alfresco Web Content Management
-- Integration into Spring Roo, and SpringSource Tool Suite
-- The Apache 2.0 license

"Increasingly, enterprise Java developers need to utilize scriptable web layout and design tools as well as REST-based services when building web content applications. Along with Spring, Surf has been the foundation of Alfresco's entire architecture and has general applicability to all Spring developers," said John Newton, CTO and Co-founder, Alfresco Software. "Alfresco is committed to delivering superior developer productivity through scripting, and this announcement forms the foundation of our strategy to deliver a broader content application platform for content centric applications. With this contribution, we intend to work with Spring technologies and the Spring community in creating the best possible web framework."

The Spring Surf Extension milestone 1 release includes the following elements:

-- Surf - A scriptable, content-oriented framework for defining pages, templates, components and layout of a web application
-- Web Scripts - A scriptable, content-oriented framework for building remote REST interfaces
-- Web Studio - A visual design environment for drag-and-drop assembly of Surf pages, layouts and components
-- Sample Sites - Spring 3.0 Petclinic and Spring 3.0 Spring Travel sample sites (built and delivered using Surf)
-- Spring Roo Add-on - A command-driven installation and generation of Surf scripts and configuration for either new or existing Spring projects
-- SpringSource Tool Suite Plugins - Wizards and additional template types for Spring Surf projects
-- PHP and Groovy scripting for Spring Web Applications - mix and match technologies as required to quickly assemble and deliver your Spring MVC web application

The Spring Surf Extension is available for download from the Spring community website at: http://www.springsource.org/extensions/se-surf