JavaServer Pages (JSP) is a server-side technology that creates highly interactive and flexible Web applications. In today’s economic climate, JSP is particularly compelling for businesses because it’s cost effective, with a short learning curve and plentiful open-source development and deployment options.

JSP combines HTML, which creates the basic structure of a Web page, and Java, which provides dynamic features such as pulling data from a server and presenting that data in an HTML form. JSP therefore allows you to create interactive websites and web-based applications.

This book is your guide as you begin using JSP. It starts by steering you through your first JSP application. It reviews HTML and provides you with a useful overview of JSP. You’ll then be ready to start learning one of the core techniques in JSP—pulling data from a database and working with that data. When you’ve mastered this technique, you’ll be ready to branch out powerfully into other JSP topics in this book: variables, scope, flow control, and code reuse for productive time management. Finally, the book shows you how you can use JSP with XML and gives you a taste of some advanced topics, including using Struts and the Model View Controller.

Beginning JSP 2 gives step-by-step examples to explain the techniques behind the code. It provides realistic scenarios wherever possible to build your knowledge and confidence in JSP. After reading this book, you’ll have the knowledge and skills to enter the Web development and Java development industries. All you need to begin this journey is a basic understanding of HTML and Java.

Author Information

Peter den Haan - Peter den Haan is a senior systems engineer at Objectivity Ltd., a UK-based systems integration company. He began to program at the age of 13 on a Radio Shack TRS-80 model I with 16KB of memory, and he has since progressed to J2EE systems architect and lead developer for Internet and intranet projects for clients ranging from the UK Football Association Premier League to Shell Finance. Peter is a Sun Certified Java 2 Developer, former JavaRanch bartender, and self-confessed geek. He holds a doctorate in theoretical physics and plays bass in his local worship band.

Lance Lavandowska - Lance Lavandowska has been working with JavaServer Pages since 1998. He has contributed to several Apache Jakarta projects, the Castor project, and the Roller weblogger project. Lance has also served as a technical reviewer on several JSP books and is a coauthor of Professional JSP Site Design.

Sathya Narayana Panduranga - Sathya Narayana Panduranga is a software design engineer living in the software capital of India, Bangalore. He has expertise in Microsoft and Java technologies, and has worked in the domains of the Internet, telecom, and convergence. His favorite areas of interest are distributed and component-based application architectures, and object-oriented analysis and design. Contributing to a range of technical articles and books is a hobby that gives him the immense satisfaction of being able to share his knowledge.

Krishnaraj Perrumal - Krishnaraj Perrumal is founder and director of Adarsh Softech. He has successfully developed and managed a number of software projects and e-projects, and his programming experience spans 15 years. He regularly gives presentations on Java technology, XML, information systems security, and audit. He is a Sun Certified Java Programmer, a Certified Novell Netware Engineer, and a Certified Information Systems Auditor. Currently, he spends most of his time providing consultancy and solutions for computer security, in addition to web development. IT constitutes both his profession and his hobby.