Professional Java User Interfaces

Chapter 13. Rich Client Platforms

This chapter discusses the practical use of Java rich client platforms (RCPs) for developing desktop application GUIs. The trade-offs between adopting an RCP infrastructure instead of using a more lightweight infrastructure such as a plain GUI toolkit plus possibly some support libraries are also covered. An example RCP application for the Eclipse RCP is included, focusing on its architecture.

The chapter contains the following sections:

13.1, Introduction to Java rich client platforms discusses the main issues involved in employing an RCP framework to build an application GUI.

13.2, The NetBeans RCP briefly introduces this RCP.

13.3, The Spring RCP provides an overview of the Spring RCP.

13.4, The Eclipse RCP discusses the Eclipse RCP in detail, including its architecture, windowing infrastructure, and GUI design guidelines.

13.5, Choosing the best RCP for your needs helps in picking the RCP best suited for your application. A section discusses the general issue of when to adopt an RCP for a project.

13.6, Legal issues introduces the main license issues related to the adoption of an RCP.

13.7, An example Eclipse RCP application shows a practical implementation of an application based upon the Eclipse RCP.

Introduction to Java rich client platforms

An RCP is an infrastructure framework for building medium-to-large desktop applications. Basing an application on an RCP simplifies development in many ways, providing structured GUI window support–including high-level ...