Why SwingML?

Browser based applications are arguably the most popular way to deliver applications to the users desktop. Javascript coupled with AJAX technology is helping to provide users with a "rich" user interface experience. However, applications with heavy usage patterns are still cumbersome with a browser based UI, even supported with AJAX. There's still a place for user interfaces that can take advantage of repsonsivness and richness of client side user interface widgets. Leverage J2EE Skills SwingML allows dynamic application logic and user interface definitions to reside on a J2EE application container, developers can leverage the same frameworks, tools, and patterns they are familiar with when creating J2EE based dynamic web applications, without the learning curve of Swing user interface development. Web Deployment Model SwingML requires the client to have an installed JRE and the SwingML framwork classes. Java WebStart technology provides an effective way to install these elements in a ubiquitous manner. These client elements will change infrequenctly, but web/app server applications can be accessed by simply passing in a URL to the client side SwingMLRenderer class. Multiple rich user interface swing clients can be accessed and modified without having to push elements to clients. Additionally, an Applet renderderer is provided by the framework, so Swing interfaces can be delivered through a browser if a client side JRE is not available.

SwingML Specification
The SwingML specification is based completely on XML. It provides the necessary elements and their attributes to render any JFC/Swing component. Its development is driven completely by the features supported by the SwingML Renderer and the custom components. Supported Swing components are defined by SwingML's DTD.