DukeScript Archetypes

Use Java to develop cross platform, portable UI applications easily. Get started with DukeScript Maven archetypes. Read on the see how easy that is...

If you are OK using command line, continue reading on. Otherwise see the DukeScript Getting Started tutorial for steps to do the same from inside of an IDE.

Installation on aarch64 platform:

To install and test this module on aarch64 platform, we need to install one additional package named "libopenjfx-jni" as below:

$ apt-get install -y libopenjfx-jni

Creating the Project

There is a simple command to create a basic application:

mvn archetype:generate \
	-DarchetypeGroupId=com.dukescript.archetype \
	-DarchetypeArtifactId=knockout4j-archetype \
	-DarchetypeVersion=0.33 \
	-Dexample=true

There is another, more complex, archetype to generate skeleton of a CRUD application that shows how you can do client-server communication and reuse Model code on both ends:

mvn archetype:generate \
	-DarchetypeGroupId=com.dukescript.archetype \
	-DarchetypeArtifactId=crud4j-archetype \
	-DarchetypeVersion=0.33

Yet another archetype provides skeleton showing how to embed various UI technologies including charts, canvas or maps to your application:

mvn archetype:generate \
	-DarchetypeGroupId=com.dukescript.archetype \
	-DarchetypeArtifactId=visual-archetype \
	-DarchetypeVersion=0.33

Working with the Project

The process of creating the project from an archetype is interactive. You shall answer various questions and configure parameters describing the project you want to create. The value of artifactId parameter is used as a name of directory to host your project. Once created you can:

$ cd yourArtifactId
$ mvn clean install
$ mvn -f client/pom.xml exec:exec

and your skeletal application starts. Please see getting started tutorial for more details on the structure of the generated project.

Packaging for Platforms

Every archetype can generate subprojects for different supported platforms. Currently we support iOS (via RoboVM or Multi OS Engine), desktop (via JavaFX), Android, NetBeans plugin, and browser.

The JavaFX-based project will always be generated as it provides fast edit/compile/debug cycle needed for fast development (including for example support for no redeploy!). The other subprojects are only generated on demand using these properties..

Android

To create an Android subproject set the androidpath property to relative path where the project shall be created. For example by adding

-Dandroidpath=client-android

a client-android subdirectory with appropriate pom.xml is going to be created. There you can execute goal like mvn android:deploy and your application is going to be packaged and deployed to your Android device or simulator.

Read the DukeScript book to learn the details.

iOS

There are now two ways to support development for your iOS device. Either via Mobidevelop RoboVM or via Intel's Multi OS Engine. Depending on which one you prefer, you shall specify either iospath or moepath property. Specifying

-Diospath=client-robovm -Dmoepath=client-moe

would create two subdirectories client-robovm and client-moe which would contain their actions (consult the nbactions.xml file for details) to build, deploy, run and debug (in case of MOE) your iOS application.

Browser (plugin-less one)

There is a way to package each of the archetypes as a set of static web pages and run them as a SPA (single-page application) in any modern browser. To enable such support specify client-web property and let it point to the subdirectory where the appropriate submodule shall be created:

-Dwebpath=client-web

would generate a sub project. Switch to that directory and use goal like mvn bck2brwsr:show to transpile your Java virtual machine application to JavaScript launch your application virtually anywhere. More detailed actions description can be found in the nbactions.xml file.

NetBeans Module

Out of curiosity one can also package the same application as a NetBeans plugin showing the UI is really portable. One can use it to extend functionality of your IDEs (experiment with Eclipse works as well and IntelliJ is said to work too). Use:

-Dnetbeanspath=client-netbeans

to generate the necessary subproject.

More Info

Have fun playing with DukeScript archetypes and let us know if you find any problems! Visit DukeScript website to learn more.