Java is widely used by developers today to create a variety of business applications. But developers need to focus on many things to deliver a robust business application that meets all business requirements and provides the necessary functionality. Therefore, they need a variety of Java frameworks and tools to create custom web applications in a short period of time. Developers also have the option to choose from a wide range of commercial and open source Java web frameworks according to the specific needs of the project.
Cuba is an open source web framework for Java. But it is a high-level web framework and it comes with features to simplify the development of custom business applications. Unlike other Java frameworks, the Cuba Platform allows programmers to create user interfaces with XML. Therefore, developers can easily create a variety of web user interfaces using XML instead of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. At the same time, they can take advantage of the functions and tools provided by the Cuba Platform to simplify and accelerate the development of various custom business applications.
Overview of the important functions and tools offered by the Cuba platform
Visual components with data recognition
Cuba Platform allows developers to create user interfaces with XML. Furthermore, it makes it easy for developers to create custom user interfaces by providing visual components such as buttons, popup button, link button, label, text field, textarea, password field, masked field, checkbox, list of options, table, file upload table and calendar. Each of these data components is data aware and can be dynamically generated. Additionally, developers can make the user interface more attractive by using standard user interface themes and customizing user interface elements.
Option to reuse and filter data
Developers can easily edit the reference data using the dynamic interface provided by the web framework. The dynamic interface allows programmers to modify reference data dynamically without generating additional screens. At the same time, the Cuba Platform provides a generic data filter that allows end users to create and reuse custom data search conditions.
User Management
The Cuba Platform is designed with a built-in user management interface. The interface makes it easier for administrators to perform common user management tasks, such as capturing user details, applying password policies, switching activities, and assigning security roles. The administrator can prevent password sharing and preserve audit trail by setting delegation rules. Additionally, you can monitor and audit user actions based on attributes or graphical snapshots of objects.
Access to data
The web framework allows developers to take advantage of robust runtime date management tools. Developers can take advantage of data management tools to configure CRUD permissions for entities, attributes, screen components, and menu items. Additionally, they can define custom access restrictions and prohibit unauthorized users from viewing specific data entries.
Business Process Management
The Cuba Platform is designed with features to simplify the creation of business processes. Developers can use a specific premium plugin to create business processes and manage business process lifecycles through a built-in visual editor. They also have the option of presenting the assigned task to individual users through the components of the folder panel.
Extensions feature
The open source web framework makes it easy for programmers to customize business applications according to different business requirements by providing the functionality of extensions. Developers can take advantage of the feature to make changes to the user interface, business logic, and data model without spending additional time and effort. They can further modify the base product without altering the source code.
Database support
The Cuba Platform is designed with built-in HSQLDB. Developers can take advantage of HSQLDB to efficiently prototype web applications. But the high-level web framework is independent of the database. Therefore, developers have the option of working with multiple databases (MySQL, MS SQL Server, PostgreSQL, and Oracle) to store data during the development and implementation phase of the project.
Generic REST API
Often times, Java web developers have to integrate a business application with multiple external systems to improve its accessibility and functionality. The Cuba Platform allows programmers to seamlessly integrate the web application with external systems through a generic REST API. The user can use the API to invoke middleware services and load domain entity graphics in XML or JSON format.
Deployment options
The Cuba Platform allows developers to implement business applications in various ways. Developers can deploy the business application on a popular Java EE web profile server such as Tomcat, Jetty, Glassfish, or WebSphere. At the same time, they can use Cuba Studio to deploy business applications in the cloud and run them seamlessly across multiple platform-as-a-service (PaaS) clouds, including IBM Bluemix, RedHat OpenShift, and Pivotal Cloud Foundry.
Overall, the Cuba Platform is a high-level, open source web framework for Java. It comes with features and tools to simplify and accelerate the development of custom business applications. But all the functions of the web framework are not free. Users have to incur additional expenses to take advantage of the various business features of the Cuba Platform, such as the built-in reporting engine, interactive graphics and Google Maps integration, full-text search, and business process management.