JSF 1.2 application migration to JSF 2.0

Question

Currently, my web-application is based on the following libraries / frameworks / tools:

• Java 1.6
• JSF 1.2_07-b03-FCS
• Facelets 1.1.14
• Richfaces 3.3.2.GA
• EL-Functors 1.0.2
• Spring 2.5.2
• Tomcat server v5.5

Some additional information:

• Spring is in charge of managing all the beans used by JSF (org.springframework.web.jsf.DelegatingVariableResolver is defined as the variable-resolver in my faces-config.xml file).
• EL-Functors is used as my el-resolver in order to extend the Expression Language.
• I've created many custom components, some of them are just Facelets compositions, others are Java-based components (some of them are extending Richfaces components).

I want to try (essentially for curiosity, but if this works well, why not for real?) to migrate my application to JSF 2.0.

Question #1: what are the critical points that I must consider in order to make my application working correctly?

I am talking here about just having a working application, nothing less, nothing more.

I alread know that I will have to review all my custom components, because I will use the new version of Richfaces (4.0), and also see if they work correctly.

Question #2: what will be the first steps to achieve to take advantages of JSF 2.0? Some ideas I already have are:

• Remove EL-Functors and use the Expression Language 2.2;
• Let JSF manage the beans, and use the @ManagedBean. Or maybe switch to a CDI library, such as Weld?
• Use <f:ajax> instead of <a4j:support>?

Regarding JavaEE6

I know, a good idea would be to completely move to JavaEE6. I'd liked to do so, but for some reasons I just can't do that way. One (bad) reason is that I must stay on Tomcat servers. However, I can add new third-party libraries in order to have some JavaEE6 features, such as EL 2.2... So please consider this aspect in your answers.

Regards.

Answer 1

If you plan to stay with Tomcat, then moving to Java EE 6 means you're going to be looking at Tomcat version 7.

But if you want a full-fledged Java EE 6 server then GlassFish 3 or JBoss 6 is a better alternative. Tomcat can be iffy when you try to do certain thing like CDI (Weld) or EJB 3.

Just my two cents worth. Hope it helps...

Answer 2

Since Richfaces 4 is still under development you may want to use Richfaces 3.3.3 with JSF 2.0. Thus you have to use Facelets 1.1.15 as described here http://community.jboss.org/wiki/RichFaces333andJSF20

This implies that switching from a4j:support to f:ajax won't work with your Richfaces based components so I suggest to stick to a a4j:support. This will also keep the migration effort low if you decide to switch to Richfaces 4 as soon as it is available.

Since you already use Spring to manage your JSF-Beans there should be no need to use the DI-Features of JSF2. I'd stick to Spring but consider an update to Spring 3.

Besides this, Weld is definitley worth to take a look at.

HTH