Comments on: Why JDBC + JSP = Bad

By: mike n

mike n — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 14:02:29 +0000

OMG I was using a high profile application at work and I got a JDBC error from the client (and about 10 other errors from porky client heavy code)! I immediately sent a message to the development team commenting on the poor architecture choices. It seems like I talk about this until I am blue in the face at work. I stumbled across this article and could not agree more! Thanx for capturing it all soooo well!

By: jeanne

jeanne — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 03:51:36 +0000

Scott,
While my comment was directed at “intro to JSP for professionals”, I think what is taught in school does matter too. If professors accept “if it compiles, it must work”, why should students do anything more?

“Plus its not school job to teach you what you will need in real job.” – On some level yes, on some level no. We don’t get to say we won’t learn arithmetic or writing because it is “just school.” These are basic skills to build on.

By: scott

scott — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:24:05 +0000

I think there’s a confusion here between “student code” and “professional software development”, the latter of which is what this blog is about. The general rule of thumb for students is “if it compiles it must work” and rarely have I seen anything more substantial in my many years a college teaching assistant. I’m pleased students/teachers use this blog to learn more about Java/J2EE, but I hope they start following some of these design patterns now, if they plan to go into software development down the road.

By: jkilgrow

jkilgrow — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:15:42 +0000

Not only all of that, but, what happens when, for some reason, your database is not available? Your page now does not render. You get an error. Or worse, the page just hangs and never displays anything!

Believe me, it happens! It happened to me. So embarrassing!

Take my advice kids, be smart. Don’t start!
Just say NO!

By: Sakuraba

Sakuraba — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 10:57:43 +0000

I didnt know one could write JSPs in a PHP-like style.

By: hmmm

hmmm — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 10:12:04 +0000

I think you are missing how it works. Most of the time its school assignment, so not even why of your points matters. Teachers like dirty/hardcore code, because it makes them feel smart. Plus its not school job to teach you what you will need in real job.

By: Pramatr

Pramatr — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:48:34 +0000

Completely agree with it. Jeanne is spot on as well, I’ve seen this so many times in examples. People start off doing it wrong and just carry on. Many of the times I’ve seen this people do it to “try things out” and never go back and fix it up. It simply grows bigger over time. It’s not just JDBC code however, this goes for any code.

By: ilias

ilias — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 07:08:25 +0000

Nicely said. I believe that you should also mention the whole MVC pattern.

By: Albert Hopkins

Albert Hopkins — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 02:56:10 +0000

I agree with Jeanne. Even Daniel Liang wrote the same those codes in his book.

Another guy said its bad & world renowned java expert say its good.

I’m confused.

By: jeanne

jeanne — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 01:27:34 +0000

In my mind a common reason for this anti-practice is that beginning JSP books do this in their examples. Similarly for college courses. We wrote JDBC code in JSPs in the web development class I took. Of course I know better now – but how is a new developer to know?