Intranet Journal: Web Development

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Software Review
JBuilder 3 Enterprise Edition
Inprise/Borland Corporation

By Nelson King

Another area of strength for JBuilder is database application development. With this version, JBuilder has taken an all Java stance that is backed-up by the right components. Not only has everything been updated to Java 2, several important new all-Java features have been added. These include a Data Modeler to create tables and SQL statements that are stored in a reusable Data Module. The new Application Generator uses Data Modules to create the basics of an application, which can be a major time saver. The new JDBC Explorer turns out to be an exceptionally useful tool for analyzing a wide variety of databases.

-fin-

JBuilder's New JDBC Exlorer

The JBuilder system for managing data, which usually begins with JDBC connections, goes through a StorageDataSet object and ends with either dbSwing or JBCL components, takes some getting used-to.But it does provide a great deal of flexibility. For testing database applications JBuilder includes a one-machine version of the InterBase server (a full server version for the Enterprise Edition). Also included is JDataStore, a top-flight pure Java transactional database for small and embedded systems. For more elaborate tiered architecture applications Inprise/Borland offers the Inprise Application Server-it's about the only major software piece that isn't bundled with JBuilder.

On the business end of programming, JBuilder's compiler has been updated and enhanced for Java 2, and the JIT compiler has been incorporated into the system. It's taken a few years, but at last we have a complete Java debugger! JBuilder distinguishes itself in this crucial department with arguably one of the best debuggers available for Java-and especially Java 2. It's ability to follow code into multiple platforms, older Java versions, and provide real-time debugging for distributed applications is exceptional.

For those brave souls venturing into two and three-tiered distributed applications, JBuilder is a confirmed devotee of CORBA. (It should be, Inprise/Borland owns VisiBroker.) A full copy of VisiBroker 3.2 Object Request Broker is included with the enterprise edition and there are Wizards and components that help simplify this daunting form of application development.

It is easy to endorse JBuilder as a fine product, which it is, but it's important to understand that using it is typically a long-term commitment. You're buying into the way JBuilder does things. Yes the Java it produces is Sun specification compliant and portable at run time, but you can't easily move code to another development system. Though all the big IDE products have this characteristic, JBuilder has it more than some.

Some people will be attracted to the spirit (anti-Microsoft PC) with which Inprise/Borland is supporting pure Java, adopting Linux (which certainly won't diminish with the merger of Inprise/Borland with Corel), and it's choice of CORBA for distributed applications. JBuilder isn't the best IDE for pure Java bean building (Symantec Visual Café gets the nod), nor is it the most advanced IDE design (IBM Visual Age for Java has that honor). However, the Java IDE feature competition is a leapfrog affair and Inprise/Borland JBuilder 3 Enterprise Edition is a champion frog with the best value-a high quality application development system loaded with major extras. You can even get your feet wet with a free, downloadable, open source version-JBuilder Foundation.

Inprise/Borland Corporation
100 Enterprise Way 
Scotts Valley, CA 95066 
(831) 431-1000 
(800) 632-2864
http://www.inprise.com or http://www.borland.com 


Platforms: Linux, Solaris, Windows NT, Windows 95/98
Requirements: Typical except for RAM, 128MB is minimum. 

Estimated Street Prices: 
Enterprise Edition, $2,499
Professional Edition  $799
Standard Edition  $99.95
Foundation Edition, free

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The Author

Nelson King is a twenty year vet in the software development trenches. He's written nine books on database application development and has a night job in computer journalism.