JavaServer Pages

If you are looking for a quick cookbook this should not be your choice. If you want to learn JSP in depth, buy it right now. Hans guides you from the basics to comprehensive details of JSP technology in a very structured way. In any case, (from my point of view) JSP is not the whole jigsaw for building web applications, it's just a piece of it. So don't expect to be able to build real web applications if you just have read this book. At least, consider reading also Java, Struts/MVC and SQL.

ContentsThis book covers JavaServer Pages (JSP) technology and standards. The chapters are as follows: Part 1 - JSP Application Basics - Introducing JavaServer Pages; HTTP and Servlet Basics; JSP Overview; Setting Up The JSP Environment;Part 2 - JSP Application Development - Generating Dynamic Content; Using JavaBeans Components In JSP Pages; Using Custom Tag Libraries And The JSP Standard Tag Library; Processing Input And Output; Error Handling And Debugging; Sharing Data Between JSP Pages, Requests, and Users; Developing Custom Tag Libraries As Tag Files; Accessing A Database; Authentication And Personalization; Internationalization; Working With XML Data; Using Scripting Elements; Bits And Pieces;Part 3 - JSP In J2EE And JSP Component Developments - Web Application Models; Combining JSP And Servlets; Developing JavaBeans Components For JSP; Developing Custom Tag Libraries Using Java; Advanced Custom Tag Library Features; Integrating Custom Code With JSTL; Data Access Strategies;Part 4 - Appendixes - JSP Elements References; JSTL Actions And API Reference; JSP Expression Language Reference; JSP API Reference; Book Example Custom Actions And API Reference; Web Application Structure And Deployment Descriptor Reference;ReviewSo, you're surfing a web site and hit a web page that ends with the extension .jsp. Looks like a regular web page to you, and if you view the source, it still looks like regular HTML. So what is a .jsp page, anyway? This book will tell you everything you need to know, both as to what they are, how they work, and how you can start using the technology in your development projects. Provided you have a basic understanding of Java, this book will work well for you.The book starts off with an explanation of what JSPs are and why you would use them. Basically, it provides a way to generate dynamic web pages using snippets of Java code. Logically, it's much like ActiveServer Pages (ASP) code as provided by Microsoft, only using Java instead of Visual Basic. It then goes into the benefits of generating content in this fashion, and how it's a superior method to other technologies such as CGI and ASP coding. The rest of the book then goes into great detail (with a large number of examples) on the specifics of JSP syntax. The author does an excellent job of meshing the approach of a tutorial with actual detail that can be referenced after you start developing applications.The author assumes the use of the Tomcat J2EE server package to learn JSP technology. Tomcat is a free download from www.apache.org, and it's easy to load and configure. But don't despair if you are using a different web server. The examples are very generic and portable, and with very little effort you can adapt the information to whatever platform you use. In my case, I was using the Websphere platform and had no problems using that server to work my way through the book.By getting the 3rd edition of the book, you'll learn about the latest versions of t

I have been teaching myself JSP for a project at work. This book has been very helpful. I was able to install the needed software and example files from the book on my laptop, and find meddling with the files as I read the chapters a great way to learn.

I have read about 5 servlet and jsp books, but nothing comes close for advanced, clean, portable and well documented JSP tags and code. This book should be called "JSP examples in a nutshell". If you find it easy to learn from examples, this is the book for you. Source code for every example in the book is included (JSP, beans, custom tags, ect.). Even a beginner can be developing JSP in no time at all. If your a coldfusion developer, after reading this book you may just get rid of your Cold Fusion server and go with JRUN.A servlet and Java book on the side is also helpfull if you want to round out you server side java development skills and learn all the how's and why's.

I cannot understand why some people did not like this book. It is definetly those kind of books that make O'Reilly one of the most respectful tech editors. I also have Core Servlets and JSP, which is awful compared to this one. The Core book just say 'do that to get that'. It does not say why, when, the advantages, drawbacks, alternatives, etc. It is just a reference book, it does not teach you anything useful, just the JSP syntax, so you may think that you know JSP, but you actually don't. I had this feeling because I first read the Core book. But then when I read the O'Reilly one I realized that I did not know anything about JSP. I was ashamed of thinking I once knew it. To conclude: If you want to be a JSP specialist buy the O'Reilly's book. If you want to know the syntax of JSP by the Core one.