Java EE 8 Application Development

Introduction

The book "Java EE 8 Application Development" by David Heffelfinger is a practical guide to creating enterprise applications using the Java Enterprise Edition 8 platform. Published in 2017, it remains relevant for those who want to master modern Java EE specifications, including Servlet 4.0, JPA 2.2, EJB 3.2, JSF 2.3, CDI 2.0, RESTful Web Services (JAX-RS 2.1), and WebSocket. The book is 420 pages long and is written in an accessible language, with an emphasis on practical examples and ready-to-use code snippets.

What the book is about

The publication covers all key components of Java EE 8. The author consistently introduces the reader to the platform's architecture, starting with the basics of servlets and ending with complex topics such as security and microservices. Each chapter is dedicated to a separate technology: from setting up the development environment (NetBeans, GlassFish) to deploying a finished application. Special attention is paid to the integration of components: for example, how to use CDI for dependency injection in EJB or how to link JPA with JSF to display data.

Who this book is for

The book is intended for Java developers who already have basic knowledge of the language (syntax, OOP, collections). It will be useful both for beginners in enterprise development and for experienced programmers transitioning from previous versions of Java EE (6/7) to version 8. The book is also suitable for students and teachers studying modern approaches to creating web applications in Java.

What the reader will learn

• Java EE 8 Basics: architecture, application servers (GlassFish, Payara), project setup.
• Servlets and JSP: creating dynamic web pages, handling requests and sessions.
• Java Persistence API (JPA 2.2): working with databases, Entity classes, JPQL, Criteria API.
• Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB 3.2): session beans, transaction management, asynchronous calls.
• JavaServer Faces (JSF 2.3): component-based approach, Facelets, validation, AJAX.
• Contexts and Dependency Injection (CDI 2.0): dependency injection, scopes, events.
• RESTful Web Services (JAX-RS 2.1): creating and consuming REST APIs, JSON/XML.
• WebSocket: two-way communication between client and server.
• Security: authentication, authorization, SSL, attack protection.
• Testing and Deployment: unit tests, profiling, deploying to a server.

Strengths

The main advantage of the book is its practical focus. Each topic is accompanied by a complete example code that can be run immediately. The author uses modern tools (NetBeans, Maven) and explains not only "how" but also "why" a particular mechanism works. The structure of the book is logical: from simple to complex, with repetition of key concepts in different contexts. The chapters on CDI and security deserve special mention — they are written in particular detail and contain real-world usage scenarios. The book is not overloaded with theory, but at the same time provides sufficient depth for understanding the platform.

Who it is recommended for

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to systematically study Java EE 8 and learn how to create reliable enterprise applications. It will be useful both for self-study and as a reference when working on real projects. If you are already familiar with Java SE and want to move on to enterprise development, this is an excellent starting point.