Java based Framework for web applications for beginners

I would certainly recommend the Stripes framework.

I was in a similar situation to your colleague a year or two back, relatively new to Java web applications and was given a small project. I had the choice of Struts or Spring MVC but opted for Stripes as it was considerably easier to get to grips with

It can also integrate nicely with Spring (check documentation for "Stripersist", examples are tied in with that)

I also wrote a quick tutorial on getting started, you may wish to have a read (admittedly I need to fix the syntax highlighting... :( )

First decide what your application is all about then go on with framework and patterns. Don't just build an application choosing the best in industry.

For instance eCommerce based application i would prefer ATG over Spring and for normal Web application i would go with Struts or Spring depending upon the complexity of the application.

I think if he's heading towards Wicket/Spring/JPA, then he shouldn't spend time with something unrelated; that seems like rather a waste.

I'd start with JPA in a standalone app, run from the command line (or the IDE or whatever). Let him write some kind of handy database tools, something to do reporting or some such.

Then move on to plain J2EE - servlets, then JSPs, not using any framework stuff.

Then bring in Spring. Then Wicket.

SpringMVC is the obvious way to go because you already use Spring in your stack so other developers will be able to help if he gets stuck. Have him sit down with the tutorial and develop his own application.

Although the Play framework looks great (thanks for pointing it out) I would advise not using it as a tutorial unless it meshes well with your future plans for your framework stack. I mean, what's the point of your junior guy learning something that the rest of you have no intention of ever using?

Hi If you are going to develop a CRUD application I really would consider spring/roo. It has the CRUD capabilities of Grails but you don't have to add any JAR to your application, therefore you have 100% java platform. Moreover, it supports reverse eng.

Luis

I'd recommend he get started on Wicket from day 1.

If he's done any desktop development in a previous life then the event driven architecture of Wicket will most closely match that. The Request/Response paradigm of traditional HTTP that most older Java frameworks follow (JSP etc.,) is fairly prehistoric and I don't see why you would want to side track him on that instead of getting him up to speed quickly on the much more productive event driven, component oriented paradigm of Wicket.

Ah I remember the old days... JSPs. actions, .do's, XML config hell. Sure I could do it but these days a developer's life can be so much more productive using a well designed framework with a smart paradigm like Wicket.

If you're already using Spring, why would you introduce yet another technology? Why is Play an improvement over Wicket or Spring?

Personally, I would recommend sticking with Spring: Spring MVC without Wicket, simple JDBC template instead of JPA.