I want to hear from you

[Peter Simpson]

Hello @aeric

1. Do you build server apps?

Sometimes, but very rarely.

2. Do you use B4J to do it?

Sadly no, for that I use C#, but I do use B4J for all desktop solutions.

If you answered Yes for both questions, then:

3. What do you think about my past projects for developing web server apps?
4. Which "framework" do you like?

I'm going to answer 3 anyway.
3. Very interested. You obviously have a innate talent for developing web apps. Clearly some of your solutions have taken a lot of skill and effort on your behalf to accomplish, some of your solution seem very complicated indeed.
4. N/A

5. What are the things you don't like?
6. What are your suggestions to improve them?

5. I've not looked too deeply into them, just here and there, but I do like your UI designs, mostly simplicity at it best which is best for the end user.
6. N/A


Enjoy...

 

[amorosik]

What do you want to sell?

Hardware & Software

 

[cklester]

1. Do you build server apps?

Yes.

2. Do you use B4J to do it?

Yes.

If you answered Yes for both questions, then:

3. What do you think about my past projects for developing web server apps?

Wish I had more time to explore them. I would love to run my web sites using them. It would replace several WordPress installs.

4. Which "framework" do you like?

I'm not familiar enough with them to give my opinion. At some point, I want to explore all the options.

 

[EnriqueGonzalez]

let me start with i really like your work.

1. Do you build server apps?
i used to
2. Do you use B4J to do it?
i would say 25% yes / 75% not

3. What do you think about my past projects for developing web server apps?
they are really well thought

4. Which "framework" do you like?
The template engine you wrapped

5. What are the things you don't like?
i have my own tools, so not much space to use yours

6. What are your suggestions to improve them?
More aggresive marketing may be? people prefer ABM because that is front page on the b4j libraries and most of the web questions are regarding that topic.

On my personal thoughts. people don't really understand the powerful tool that is jserver, C# is ugly as fuck boilerplate bloated and php is a crappy mess, b4j may have its own problems but nothing like those 2.

That said, b4j has a very small community and for the same reason as i dont use your tools and you dont use mine, it is complicated to keep innovating on this space.

 

[aeric]

I tried to make project EndsMeet more simpler (v0.18 beta) in terms of routing. The element index structure is now gone.
I wish someone can totally replace my approach with a new approach such as using Regex or template.

One of the main problems with my framework is the routing and path.
I am lazy to make it as elegant as django or laravel. I see django also facing the same issue in the past so it is a non trivial problem to solve.
Really hope someone can help with this. I am not good at Regex.

 

[EnriqueGonzalez]

One of the main problems with my framework is the routing and path.

my solution to that problem was to create a global Map, whose key is the name of the class (handler) and the endpoint as the value. this is a similar solution to django.

so on the code you call routes.get("hdlUsers") or routes.get("hdlUser").replace("*",user_id).
in freemarker it is easier, you can assign global variables there too and just call: routes.hdlUsers

for scenarios where you need to convert the wildcard *, i used to do a function for both freemaker and b4j

 

[aeric]

Hardware & Software

Just find a template and continue from there.

 

[Magma]

Just find a template and continue from there.
View attachment 157902

hmmm.. are you saying for example... that this is an htmx template and i can use it somehow with your api-server and jserver ?

is that possible ?

 

[aeric]

hmmm.. are you saying for example... that this is an htmx template and i can use it somehow with your api-server and jserver ?

is that possible ?

It is an html template. Yes you can use it with my template or B4J server project.

 

[Magma]

It is an html template. Yes you can use it with my template or B4J server project.

It is just html... no jquery, no htmx...
no code from backend.. not like wordpress i think ? right ?

Well today people are too lazy they just want a dragndrop solution and have a ready ecommerce site, taking orders to the database and may be sometimes "execute" them... like downloading the order (if it is software)...

So woocommerce/wordpress or opencart or ready blog "code" + "site" + "apps" are the choice of the most... they can swap "html-wordpress-templates" fast...

This is a difficult project but may be we must think how to achieve ...may be ... a compatible solution...

 

[aeric]

It is just html... no jquery, no htmx...
no code from backend.. not like wordpress i think ? right ?

Yes.
Just find a template without React bullshit. Just simple vanila js. It is as clean as possible then it is your responsibility to mess with it.
Choose a template engine and convert it to match the engine syntax.
For me, jQuery and HTMX are good choices.
If you use framework like React that requires you to build and compile the source and one day you lost the development source then you will have a problem.
With vanilla JS, jQuery or HTMX, you don't need to rebuild again, just use the source from production and continue to make modification.

WordPress is only good for some use cases but I am frustrated with how difficult to customize it.
Don't think WordPress theme is so flexible. If one day you want to revamp your website, it is better to find a "software independent" template.
WordPress theme is so limited. Unless you pay the designer to customize for you heavily, which ends up the same question.

 

[aeric]

Well today people are too lazy they just want a dragndrop solution and have a ready ecommerce site, taking orders to the database and may be sometimes "execute" them... like downloading the order (if it is software)...

So woocommerce/wordpress or opencart or ready blog "code" + "site" + "apps" are the choice of the most... they can swap "html-wordpress-templates" fast...

This is a marketing lie from WordPress that I also believed in the past. Same goes to Wix or other drag and drop web builder. You will sure meet the bottleneck.

And tell me if you like to see the notifications on your admin dashboard if you have a lot of free plugins.

 

[Magma]

@aeric
Sure, custom solutions for "us" - developers is ok/and the best way... but if you have customers that they are "experts" (not so experts in reality) and they want to add features alone or selecting templates...

I am not saying sthing different... the problem is to have a "ready pack" for use ecommerce/blog/newspaper/etc with 2-3 options in any case and a backend example - need a lot of programming and updating...

---
Also I lost "you" at this point: "Choose a template engine and convert it to match the engine syntax."
This is the difficult for me... or why not want to mess with it

 

[aeric]

Sure, custom solutions for "us" - developers is ok/and the best way... but if you have customers that they are "experts" (not so experts in reality) and they want to add features alone or selecting templates...

I am not saying sthing different... the problem is to have a "ready pack" for use ecommerce/blog/newspaper/etc with 2-3 options in any case and a backend example - need a lot of programming and updating...

I am writing based on my experience.
I was lazy too and I always use WordPress in the past. Your website will be ready in a few hours, 1 or 2 days.
I also use plain HTML5 templates. I did it just to make my empty domains not look empty.

But when we talk about something like self hosted e-commerce, I won't go for WordPress.
If a business owner want to save money, it is better to sign up an account from the giant e-commerce platform. It is zero cost.

On the other hand, if you want to build your company official website, just for listing out the products offered, you don't need an e-commerce site. Then it is something that WordPress is suitable. In my previous job, the marketing department find a vendor to develop a system with CMS functionality so they can publish new product page and update the slide show image on front page. The other solution is a landing page which is suitable for "Call to Action" purpose.

A CMS or blog software is on my todo list. I have done many experiments but just haven't find more time to focus on it.

 

[aeric]

Also I lost "you" at this point: "Choose a template engine and convert it to match the engine syntax."
This is the difficult for me... or why not want to mess with it

It is easier than you think.
For example is my Support Ticketing System. Most of the work is cut/copy and paste.

 

[tufanv]

2) can you tell us some powerful tools for backend operations, plz ?

for me it is nodeJS

 

[Magma]

for me it is nodeJS

nodeJS... with a custom framework Server app... or using something like a template/bunch of project/framework for it ?

can you be more specific to check the stability and how easy is to create the backend/server... ?

Or creating from scratch anything everytime... ?

 

[aeric]

If you found a good tool, then just proceed. No offence.
I have a bunch of reasons where I don't prefer NodeJS, based on my understanding on it only of course.

 

[tufanv]

nodeJS... with a custom framework Server app... or using something like a template/bunch of project/framework for it ?

can you be more specific to check the stability and how easy is to create the backend/server... ?

Or creating from scratch anything everytime... ?

No, from ssratch every time. For example for a server backend it is really easy to prepare a server using express, very easy to connect your mysql using mysql. You just install the modules with npm install libname, and you can use it instantly. As nodejs is popular, therr are too many sources to get codes, ask for help even using chatgpt.

 

[aeric]

NodeJS is a bloatware