Rating: 
Summary: This is more than just a cert book
Review: The book is divided into 4 parts: Technology Overview, Servlets, JSPs, and Patterns and Filters. Each section s a detailed, in-depth examination of the technology, guided by the certification exam objectives. Also, a CD comes with the book that has everything you need in one place: all of the sample code presented in the book, the JSP 1.2 specification, the Servlet 2.3 specification, javadoc for all the JSP 1.2/Servlet 2.3 APIs, Tomcat 4.0.1, and a test engine with sample questions. Based on my experiences with my two previous java certifications, this test engine and the questions are very good approximations to the real test-taking experience. Part 1 (28 pages) covers HTTP, JSPs, Servlets and the Servlet container from the 10,000 foot view in a scant 26 pages. You learn the basic architecture/patterns of web applications, the role of the web container according to servlets/JSPs and the lifecycle of a request. This the most concise, on-target explanation of Java web application development I've seen. You should tear out these pages (after having read them yourself) and give them to your manager to read. When authors don't have a strong grasp of what they're writing about, it gets very wordy. The fact that the authors can succintly capture the full picture of Java Web Applications in less than 30 pages is proof of their deep understanding of not just the APIs, but the underlying technologies and methodologies -- not just the how, but the why. Part 2 (143 pages) covers the fundamental Java web applcation technology; the servlet. Since JSPs get translated and compiled into Java Servlets when they are exectued, a solid understanding of Servlet development and deployment issues are crucial. This section leads off with an examination of the request/response lifecycle, the servlet lifecycle (creation and destruction), and configuration. An entire chapter is spent on packaging and deploying servlets, focusing on the directory structure that must be present in the archive, and the accompanying deployment descriptor. From here, the book moves on to cover development activities including exception handling patterns, session management, application security and threading issues. The security chapters covers all of the built in HTTP authentication methods (Basic, Digest, HTTPS, and Form-based) and will save you from rolling your own authentication mechanism in your applications. The session management and threading chapters are required reading before moving on to JSPs. JSPs expose this functionality with a simplified interface, but it's very important to understand how your tools work to wield them properly. Part 3 (170 pages) starts off with a chapter covering JSP syntax, lifecycle and features. Subsequent chapters move on to using/building web components. Java Beans are used heavily in JSP to allow the JSP to access member variables through reflection, so a crash course (3 pages) is offered to get you up to speed. Using Java Beans in all layers of the architecture, from servlets out to JSPs is discussed. In the latter chapters in this section, implmenting your own tag libraries is discussed and the major interfaces and classes are discussed. In the code samples in this chapter you start to make the connection between JSPs and servlets, and the problem that each technology is geared to solve. Part 4 (53 pages) covers the one remaining topic on the certification exam, application patterns, and a new feature with the Servlet 2.3 API, filters. Filters aren't currently included in the exam objectives (the book notes this), but they are given the same treatment as the material that the exam covers. The patterns that are included in the exam, Value Object, Model View Controller, Data Access Object, Busienss Delegate and Front Controller. To sum up, this book and it's CDROM are indispensable if you are studying to earn this certification or just getting your feet wet in the web tier of Java technology. This book is the perfect reference for the experienced developer that needs to learn the salient features of JSP/servlet technology quickly and without a lot of introductory "this is web programming" fluff.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Study Guide and Introduction to Java Web Components
Review: The Java Web Component Developer Certification is a great study guide and intro into Java Web Components. The chapters are well laid out and provide a ton of information in an easy to read format. The examples and code snippets are easy to understand and complement the sections well. In addition to preparing for the exam, this book can be used by novice Web developers (with Java experience) as a tutorial in developing using servlets and JSP.
Each chapter comes equipped with learning objectives and review questions at the end. Additionally, there are quizzlets embedded in the chapter, although these were a bit simple. There were a few errors in the examples and the accompanying CD did not match all the examples in the text.
Overall, I would recommend this for any developer getting started with Web development using Java or for anyone preparing fo the Java Web Component Certification.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Study Material
Review: Definitely a must buy to pass the SCWCD exam. I used it to get 89% on this exam. Book is well organized and covers everything needed to pass the exam.
Rating:
Summary: virtually all you need to pass the exam
Review: The book is laid out in a logical straightforward fashion -- matching up exam objectives with Servlet/JSP topics and even covers a couple things that aren't (yet) on the exam, like Filters. It's written in a very easy-to-read, conversational tone and is an excellent resource for someone who's familiar with Java but not with Servlets and JSPs or even for someone familiar with them, but needs to brush up on some of the details for the exam. The bundled CD that comes with the book is chock full of excellent resources (3 JwebPlus mock exams, Tomcat 4, the relevant JSP and Servlet specs, and an electronic copy of the book). The quizlets and notes intermixed within each chapter help you to confirm that you understood what you just read -- and also explain a couple "gotchas". The author's website contains an excellent little forum where you can get hold of the author's to ask questions or report errors in the book. I'll definitely use this book as a resource even after the exam.
Rating:
Summary: A single stop for passing the exam
Review: This is my only book for the exam. I have just passed the exam this week and scored 93. The content in this book is very well organised and easy to follow, but of course it is for 310-080 exam and not enough for the newly SCWCD 1.4 exam. It is necessary to refer to the JSP/Servlet spec and J2EE API spec only when I encounter a few unclear concepts and want to know more in details. I also recommend to write and test some codes in Tomcat to make you have more confident in taking the exam.
Rating: 
Summary: Out of Date
Review: I read this book prior to sitting the exam, then used some other exam simulation software and felt a little bewildered because I thought I must have been missing something, somewhere. Then I read the Sybex book on the same certification and and it all made sense. While I think this may have been a good book a while back, sadly it is out of date and best left on the shelf.
Rating:
Summary: Not that great
Review: First, this book is out of date. Second, the practice questions are way too easy. Overall, not that great, but the only thing available on this subject.
Rating:
Summary: A Necessary But Insufficient Condition..
Review: I passed the SCWCD exam with 96%.
1. This book is aimed at jdk1.3, for the purposes of the exam that is servlet spec 2.3 and JSP spec 1.2. I have not been able to locate a jdk 1.4 version of this book.
2. This book WILL help you pass the exam, but if your after a high mark (i.e. >90%) you need to do a lot more. You definitely need to download Tomcat and write servlets sand JSP pages. I also did the 3 practice exams on the accompanying cd, and scored an average of 85%. I did other online practice exams and my score was much lower. I wanted to get above 90%, and decided to splurge and purchase a commercial product, $35, (the one recommended on the cd). If you truly want to kill the exam, you should consider purchasing a commercial exam simulator.
3. Shocking level of mistakes & spelling errors. The book averages an error every 10 pages or so. Still gets 5 stars because of the succinct writing and the 3 practice exams included, which you really do need. Contrary to other reviews, the extensive errata does not make it a bad book. Simply download the errata from www.manning.com/deshmukh and go through your copy with a pencil and fix all the mistakes yourself. (Or you can do what I initially did; and work through the book, every example, and try to spot them yourself).
4. Other reviews mention that to get a great score you really need to read the specs. Well, the servlet and JSP specs are about 130 pages each of facts and statements, with another 100 pages tacked on the end for all the syntax and package/class hierarchy. It's very difficult to read specs, but if that is ok with you, it WILL help a lot.
5. In the back of the book, there is, more or less, a complete example of a Deployment Descriptor (web.xml) file. This is IMPORTANT to study because the elements of a Deployment Descriptor must occur in the right order. This example will reveal that order to you. The book mentions the order, but since the book is broken up into chapters, you easily forget it. Or you can try to memorize the DTD for a Deployment Descriptor at Sun's website; which is a dry way of learning, indeed. You can attain your goal.
Jeff Walker
Rating:
Summary: Good Book
Review: The book is well organized. Explains the concepts and technology neatly and covers the exam objectives.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book.
Review: I just passed the exam with this book.
The contents of the book is nicely concise, and it deals with the core techniques very well.
Just like the book cover says, we can use this book not only for the exam, but also for the Servelt/JSP reference. Highly recommended.
|
