JAFFA is a combination of two things, a runtime architecture used to marry together other existing frameworks so they all integrate together as a foundation for building enterprise level business applications. It is also a development tool set, focused on complementing existing Java development IDE's and UML model/build tools.

The main thrust of the project is to a foundation for business applications that works, and delivers the key features needed to todays application, in conjunction with providing as many techniques as possible for building those applications in the fastest and most efficient way.

Jaffa runtime architecure is based on a modular component framework. The diagram below ilustrates an example component, and the architecture 'stack' that a component is based on.

This overview is split into four sections, this diagram depicts these for 'layers' of the Jaffa Development Environment. In addition to the runtime enviromnet we have a collection of tools based arround code generation of components based on patterns. Many of these patterns allow for customization, with the bonus of preseving this customizations even if the pattern is modifed and the code regenerated.

Beyond component generation there are tools for converting domain object models from other technologies or design tools, as well as tools that attempt complete application generation from just the domain model. This is all geared towared building a rapid footprint of an application, with the ability to then go in an either enhance the resultant application by tweaking the generated patterns definition, the template code, adding logic to the generate code, or tailoring the configuration via rules and descriptor files. The key is to allow change at any level and cascade those changes down to the lower levels.

The source for all patterns and libraries is of couse available so you can creeate your own, based on a simple 'WebMacro' based substitution technology.

More Details See...

• Application Quick Start / Migration Tools

We have a Sample Application which ilustrates the following Jaffa Modules

• User Maintenace Module with intergrated security
• Main Menu Module
• Administation Tools

We have a the Together Control Center module that allows all application security and component definitions to be driven from a UML model. More details of this are avaliable under the Sub-Project Together

Jaffa's Presentation Layer has been designed specifically to work in a portal/portlet environment. Typcially when using products like Struts (from Jakarta) you build a web application running under a single web application context. We have extended the Jaffa persentation layer such that you can use build presentation JSP's to run under the context of a portal application context, but still inter-operate with your full web application features running in another context.

A white paper and examples of how to do this will be availble soon...put if you need to know this now, contact us