# ROR vs Java vs AJAX for a web application? **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [July 15, 2007, 10:36pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ror-vs-java-vs-ajax-for-a-web-application/109497 "2007-07-15T22:36:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![reg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/f4b2a3/32.png) [@reg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/reg)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2007, 10:36pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ror-vs-java-vs-ajax-for-a-web-application/109497/1 "2007-07-15T22:36:20Z")
I’m considering developing a consumer focused web application that will use lots of graphs. These graphs need to be manipulated using controls such a sliders, increase/decrease buttons, etc and the graphs will need to dynamically change in real time. Drag and drop functionality within the graphs would be a huge plus. I am a project manager, not a developer, and I am exploring the most appropriate technologies to use. Besides the dynamic UI capability, I will need simple, scalable, and secure code that can be built fast and modified easily in a agile dev environment. I would really appreciate someone helping understand the benefits and risks associated with each of the technologies listed, with a focus on ROR. IF you can point to relevant samples or current products/sites outside of the 37Signals links, that would be a big help too. Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![reg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/f4b2a3/32.png) [@reg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/reg)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 12:40am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ror-vs-java-vs-ajax-for-a-web-application/109497/2 "2007-07-16T00:40:28Z")
I’m assuming you want the graphs to be changed within the browser without a page reload? That should be a decision made early on. It sounds like your choice is between RoR/Ajax, Java/Ajax, Java/Applet, Java/JavaFX. If you’ve already decided to go the Ajax route for displaying the graphs, the choice Java or Ruby is no different than for any other project since they don’t affect your graphs (which will be done in javascript and generated in the browser). The demo page for the PlotKit javascript library: [http://media.liquidx.net/js/plotkit-tests/dynamic.html](http://media.liquidx.net/js/plotkit-tests/dynamic.html) Your best bet would be to have a technical guy you trust do this evaluation. There are plenty of articles evaluating RoR as an enterprise solution. Just look around. Chris ---
**Author:** ![reg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/f4b2a3/32.png) [@reg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/reg)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 2:11am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ror-vs-java-vs-ajax-for-a-web-application/109497/3 "2007-07-16T02:11:35Z")
Why not use flash for the dynamic control? Sounds perfect for such a thing… On 7/15/07, removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > The demo page for the PlotKit javascript library: > > > will use lots of graphs. These graphs need to be manipulated using > > ROR. IF you can point to relevant samples or current products/sites > > outside of the 37Signals links, that would be a big help too. > > > > Thanks in advance! > > > ## – ## seth at subimage interactive ## [http://sublog.subimage.com](http://sublog.subimage.com) ## Cashboard - Estimates, invoices, and time tracking software - for free! [http://www.getcashboard.com](http://www.getcashboard.com) Substruct - Open source RoR e-commerce software. [http://dev.subimage.com/projects/substruct](http://dev.subimage.com/projects/substruct) ---
**Author:** ![reg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/f4b2a3/32.png) [@reg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/reg)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 3:10pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ror-vs-java-vs-ajax-for-a-web-application/109497/4 "2007-07-16T15:10:19Z")
I’ve done a lot with XML/SWF charts and AJAX. There’s a plugin called ZiYa for Rails that makes those charts work great in a rails application. The charts look great cos they’re Flash, and you can customize how they look. ZiYa plugin: [http://ziya.liquidrail.com/](http://ziya.liquidrail.com/) I’ve used these charts in PHP and ASP before, works fine, just need to pass XML to them, so no matter what language you choose to use, this could be an option. On 7/16/07, removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) ---
**Author:** ![reg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/f4b2a3/32.png) [@reg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/reg)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 8:02am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ror-vs-java-vs-ajax-for-a-web-application/109497/5 "2007-07-16T08:02:02Z")
We have made some very good experiences using flex and the charting- package. The Charts look&feel great, are easy to setup and customise and if you have the time, you can tweak it to your hearts desire, altough it comes with rich funtionality out-of-the-box. On the last project we used it in conjunction with seam/jsf/jboss, which worked quite ok: Communication with the server can either be done via remoting or - as we prefer - via simple exchange of xml: This allows you to setup tests more easily, as the url can be invoked and the xml parsed without the need of some remoting-frameworks and/or javascript. We recently switched from seam/jsf to rails: REST-support was the main reason. Most probably, you will have a need to push out your graph- data for various clients (eg. XML for flex and testing, json for an ajax-client, csv for excel-import) - this is where respond\_to comes in very handy: This feature really keeps your codebase very tight and reduces the amount of code needed signifgicantly (compared to a jsf/ jee app). You can find some good examples for connecting flex&rails here: [Google Code Archive - Long-term storage for Google Code Project Hosting.](http://code.google.com/p/rubyonrails-ria-sdk-by-adobe/) However, switching from java to ror is not without problems, basically because you have to learn your old tricks in a new way - It takes a while to get used to the new syntax, libraries etc. and especially learning how to find bugs on rails takes some time: There are some areas where you just notice that Java is simply more mature - until now, none of the issues we encountered where a real showstopper, and the amount of code you write _not_ with rails made the switch worthwhile… hope this helps. stf ---
**Author:** ![reg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/f4b2a3/32.png) [@reg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/reg)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 3:11pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ror-vs-java-vs-ajax-for-a-web-application/109497/6 "2007-07-16T15:11:19Z")
I would have to second vierundsechzig. Though I rolled my own graphs, because I thought i would have more flexibility (I haven’t used the Flex graphs so i cannot tell you whats better). It was pretty easy to get lots of functionality, though i have not yet done a bloomberg style magnify (drag a box around the curve, then redraw the selected box as the whole graph), it should be easy. However I do not need the graphs to update with change in data on the server, without a user action. If you want a push information to the graph (rather than a continual poll of the server), perhaps for a minute by minute chart on daily stock chart, then you may need something like the Macromedia Flex and Flash Communication Server. I have not figured away to program a http listener in ActionScript for the client. Alternatively Java might provide you with the easier/cheaper push technology, but in my opinion the backend (instead of Rails) and graphs stuff will be much harder to build from scratch with a Java/ J2EE framework. J On Jul 16, 8:00 am, “removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid”