Grails is a full-stack web development framework that enables you to build complete web applications in a fraction of the time and with less code than other frameworks. Grails uses the principle of convention over configuration and the dynamic Groovy programming language. This revised and updated new edition shows you how to use Grails by iteratively building a unique, working application. By the time you're done, you'll have built and deployed a real, functioning website. Using this hands-on, pragmatic approach, you'll explore topics such as Ajax in Grails, custom tags, and plugins. You'll dig into Grails' powerful view technology, Groovy Server Pages, and see how you can easily leverage the help offered by scaffolding to create custom user interfaces faster than you would have thought possible. Along the way, you'll learn about domain classes, controllers, and GSP views. And you'll see how Grails enables you to use powerful frameworks such as Spring and Hibernate. With Grails, you can get a lot done with little effort. With this book, you'll get a lot done as well. Get started with Grails today. What You Need: Grails 2 will run on any machine that supports Java. Grails applications can be deployed on any Java Servlet container, including Tomcat, Jetty, WebLogic, JBoss, and Websphere.

Grails is a full stack framework which aims to greatly simplify the task of building serious web applications for the JVM. The concepts within Grails, like interceptors, tag libs, and Groovy Server Pages (GSP), make those in the Java community feel right at home. Grails’ foundation is on solid open source technologies such as Spring, Hibernate, and SiteMesh, which gives it even more potential in the Java space: Spring provides powerful inversion of control and MVC, Hibernate brings a stable, mature object relational mapping technology with the ability to integrate with legacy systems, and SiteMesh handles flexible layout control and page decoration. Grails complements these with additional features that take advantage of the coding–by–convention paradigm such as dynamic tag libraries, Grails object relational mapping, Groovy Server Pages, and scaffolding. Graeme Rocher, Grails lead and founder, and Jeff Brown bring you completely up–to–date with their authoritative and fully comprehensive guide to the Grails 2 framework. You’ll get to know all the core features, services, and Grails extensions via plug–ins, and understand the roles that Groovy and Grails are playing in the changing Web.

This start-up guide explains how to use Grails by building a unique, working application. Readers learn how to build and deploy a real, functioning Web site.

Summary Making Java Groovy is a practical handbook for developers who want to blend Groovy into their day-to-day work with Java. It starts by introducing the key differences between Java and Groovy—and how you can use them to your advantage. Then, it guides you step-by-step through realistic development challenges, from web applications to web services to desktop applications, and shows how Groovy makes them easier to put into production. About this Book You don't need the full force of Java when you're writing a build script, a simple system utility, or a lightweight web app—but that's where Groovy shines brightest. This elegant JVM-based dynamic language extends and simplifies Java so you can concentrate on the task at hand instead of managing minute details and unnecessary complexity. Making Java Groov is a practical guide for developers who want to benefit from Groovy in their work with Java. It starts by introducing the key differences between Java and Groovy and how to use them to your advantage. Then, you'll focus on the situations you face every day, like consuming and creating RESTful web services, working with databases, and using the Spring framework. You'll also explore the great Groovy tools for build processes, testing, and deployment and learn how to write Groovy-based domain-specific languages that simplify Java development. Written for developers familiar with Java. No Groovy experience required. Purchase of the print book includes a free eBook in PDF, Kindle, and ePub formats from Manning Publications. What's Inside Easier Java Closures, builders, and metaprogramming Gradle for builds, Spock for testing Groovy frameworks like Grails and Griffon About the Author Ken Kousen is an independent consultant and trainer specializing in Spring, Hibernate, Groovy, and Grails. Table of Contents PART 1: UP TO SPEED WITH GROOVY Why add Groovy to Java? Groovy by example Code-level integration Using Groovy features in Java PART 2: GROOVY TOOLS Build processes Testing Groovy and Java projects PART 3: GROOVY IN THE REAL WORLD The Spring framework Database access RESTful web services Building and testing web applications

Dig deeper into Grails architecture and discover how this application framework works its magic. Written by a core developer on the Grails team, this practical guide takes you behind the curtain to reveal the inner workings of its 2.0 feature set. You’ll learn best practices for building and deploying Grails applications, including performance, security, scaling, tuning, debugging, and monitoring. Understand how Grails integrates with Groovy, Spring, Hibernate, and other JVM technologies, and learn how to create and use plugins to augment your application’s functionality. Once you know how Grails adds behavior by convention, you can solve problems more easily and develop applications more intuitively. Write simpler, more powerful code with the Groovy language Manage persistence in Grails, using Hibernate or a NoSQL datastore Learn how Grails uses Spring’s functionality and optional modules Discover how Hibernate handles details for storing and retrieving data Integrate technologies for messaging, mail, creating web services, and other JEE technologies Bypass convention and configure Grails manually Learn a general approach to upgrading applications and plugins Use Grails to develop and deploy IaaS and PaaS applications