Customer Reviews

SCWCD Exam Study Kit: Java Web Component Developer Certification

5 star:		(84)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The book is divided into 4 parts: Technology Overview, Servlets, JSPs, and Patterns and Filters. Each section s a detailed, in-depth examination of the technology, guided by the certification exam objectives. Also, a CD comes with the book that has everything you need in one place: all of the sample code presented in the book, the JSP 1.2 specification, the Servlet 2.3 specification, javadoc for all the JSP 1.2/Servlet 2.3 APIs, Tomcat 4.0.1, and a test engine with sample questions. Based on my experiences with my two previous java certifications, this test engine and the questions are very good approximations to the real test-taking experience.

Part 1 (28 pages) covers HTTP, JSPs, Servlets and the Servlet container from the 10,000 foot view in a scant 26 pages. You learn the basic architecture/patterns of web applications, the role of the web container according to servlets/JSPs and the lifecycle of a request. This the most concise, on-target explanation of Java web application development I've seen. You should tear out these pages (after having read them yourself) and give them to your manager to read. When authors don't have a strong grasp of what they're writing about, it gets very wordy. The fact that the authors can succintly capture the full picture of Java Web Applications in less than 30 pages is proof of their deep understanding of not just the APIs, but the underlying technologies and methodologies -- not just the how, but the why.

Part 2 (143 pages) covers the fundamental Java web applcation technology; the servlet. Since JSPs get translated and compiled into Java Servlets when they are exectued, a solid understanding of Servlet development and deployment issues are crucial. This section leads off with an examination of the request/response lifecycle, the servlet lifecycle (creation and destruction), and configuration. An entire chapter is spent on packaging and deploying servlets, focusing on the directory structure that must be present in the archive, and the accompanying deployment descriptor. From here, the book moves on to cover development activities including exception handling patterns, session management, application security and threading issues. The security chapters covers all of the built in HTTP authentication methods (Basic, Digest, HTTPS, and Form-based) and will save you from rolling your own authentication mechanism in your applications. The session management and threading chapters are required reading before moving on to JSPs. JSPs expose this functionality with a simplified interface, but it's very important to understand how your tools work to wield them properly.

Part 3 (170 pages) starts off with a chapter covering JSP syntax, lifecycle and features. Subsequent chapters move on to using/building web components. Java Beans are used heavily in JSP to allow the JSP to access member variables through reflection, so a crash course (3 pages) is offered to get you up to speed. Using Java Beans in all layers of the architecture, from servlets out to JSPs is discussed. In the latter chapters in this section, implmenting your own tag libraries is discussed and the major interfaces and classes are discussed. In the code samples in this chapter you start to make the connection between JSPs and servlets, and the problem that each technology is geared to solve.

Part 4 (53 pages) covers the one remaining topic on the certification exam, application patterns, and a new feature with the Servlet 2.3 API, filters. Filters aren't currently included in the exam objectives (the book notes this), but they are given the same treatment as the material that the exam covers. The patterns that are included in the exam, Value Object, Model View Controller, Data Access Object, Busienss Delegate and Front Controller.

To sum up, this book and it's CDROM are indispensable if you are studying to earn this certification or just getting your feet wet in the web tier of Java technology. This book is the perfect reference for the experienced developer that needs to learn the salient features of JSP/servlet technology quickly and without a lot of introductory "this is web programming" fluff.

This is a great book. The chapters are very well organized and the bulletted information of key concepts in every chapter is really really helpful for last minute reference.
One thing that I want to mention is the style of writing of the authors. This is one book where after each chapter you feel you've really gained something...and you quickly want to move the next chapter to learn more...and long after the exam is over you still feel confident of the knowledge that you've acquired.
The treatment of various servlets and JSP concepts is precise and consistent with the requirements of the exam. However don't get the impression that it does not cover the key concepts in detail.. In fact it does a wonderful job. For example..I had no prior experience with tag libraries before , yet I managed to get a score of 96% on the exam and that too after studying for just two weeks. And my only primary resource was this book and the provided CD.
The three practice tests on the CD are essential for getting a good score on the actual exam.
All in all a great book..well worth your money!!
Best of luck!
Tanay

This book was good during it's time, but now it is outdated. The book is designed for SCWCD 1.3, and did a great job covering all the topics. However, Sun Microsystem discontinued SCWCD 1.3 on December 2004. So, if you are like me, disappointed with head first books and looking to be certified as fast as possible, do yourself a favor and buy the second edition of this book. You won't regret it.

I had been doing commercial JSP and Servlets programming for over a year when I got hold of this book. I have read it from cover to cover and attempted all of the questions and I am very impressed. Certification exams have a reputation for covering obscure details of the target technology but I found myself learning things that would have significantly improved my existing code and will definitely go into future systems.

Although it is aimed at the Web Component Developer exam it would make a good general JSP book. An example of this came up recently when I was trying to include one file inside another in order to make my pages more modular. The jsp system has two ways of including other files, one described as static and the other described as dynamic. I knew my understanding of the difference was a little shaky an this book gave an easily understandable and concise explanation of the difference, including a good diagram of what happens in terms of code translation and output to the browser.

With only two authors the book has a consistency of voice which I would call dry and factual. There are no jokes or distractions in this book, just the facts maa'm, just the facts. The code samples are short and easy to understand, there is no attempt to give examples that would build into real applications, just enough code to illustrate the point under discussion. Many posters at the JavaRanch discussion forum have reported finding this book extremely useful for taking and passing the Web Component Developer exam.

It keeps closely to the objectives and the questions are well structured and relevant. If a topic is central to JSP technology but not covered by the Web component developer exam it makes it clear that the information is only included for completeness. An example of this is Chapter 18, filters which is an important new JSP technology but not on the exam. The people who wrote it are behind a commercial exam simulator (JWebPlus) and I suspect that the feedback they received from that has helped create such good quality questions and associated text. The proof reading, layout and accuracy is very good. The entire text of the book is included in pdf format with the included CD. Although it is horrible to read a book from the screen, it is very useful to be able to do a complete search of the text. The CD also contains a copy of tomcat4 and the JwebPlus exam simulator with 3 entire sample exams.

If you are less experienced with JSP/Servlets you will find the book starts gently and builds up, without assuming an in-depth knowledge. You will of course need to know about Java before you start. My copy of this book is now well thumbed and "dog eared" and am confident it will get even more grubby and well handled in the future. That's the sign of a good book.

The book is laid out in a logical straightforward fashion -- matching up exam objectives with Servlet/JSP topics and even covers a couple things that aren't (yet) on the exam, like Filters. It's written in a very easy-to-read, conversational tone and is an excellent resource for someone who's familiar with Java but not with Servlets and JSPs or even for someone familiar with them, but needs to brush up on some of the details for the exam. The bundled CD that comes with the book is chock full of excellent resources (3 JwebPlus mock exams, Tomcat 4, the relevant JSP and Servlet specs, and an electronic copy of the book). The quizlets and notes intermixed within each chapter help you to confirm that you understood what you just read -- and also explain a couple "gotchas". The author's website contains an excellent little forum where you can get hold of the author's to ask questions or report errors in the book. I'll definitely use this book as a resource even after the exam.

I got an electronic version of this book with the purchase of the jwebplus software from enthuware.com for free. I was actually more interested in the s/w than the book but I must admit that this book is very thoughtfully written. Authors have really taken pains to collect and organize the material for the exam. Smartly enough, all the chapters follow the exam objectives sequencially. If you are studying for the exam, you need not go anywhere else. Examples are to the point and simple to run. I got to learn a lot of new stuff that I don't find in any JSP/Servlet books. Except some errors here and there, the book rocks. It also has a fairly detailed coverage of filters.

The Java Web Component Developer Certification is a great study guide and intro into Java Web Components. The chapters are well laid out and provide a ton of information in an easy to read format. The examples and code snippets are easy to understand and complement the sections well. In addition to preparing for the exam, this book can be used by novice Web developers (with Java experience) as a tutorial in developing using servlets and JSP.
Each chapter comes equipped with learning objectives and review questions at the end. Additionally, there are quizzlets embedded in the chapter, although these were a bit simple. There were a few errors in the examples and the accompanying CD did not match all the examples in the text.
Overall, I would recommend this for any developer getting started with Web development using Java or for anyone preparing fo the Java Web Component Certification.

This book covers pretty much all areas in JSP and Servlets for Web developers exam preparation. It covers J2EE and even Tomcat in details. Worth buying not only for exam preparedness, but, also as a reference guide for all your answers to the Web development using Java.

I would have given it 5 stars but for some annoying typos. I gave 4 stars because the content is top quality. At least I didn't see any conceptual mistakes as in the sybex book. Authors know what they are talking about.
Exam coverage: Excellent. Explains the concepts thru simple examples. Chapters contain 'Quizlets', which are short questions and answers. They make an interesting reading. Quick prep is quite valuable.

I passed the SCWCD exam with 96%.
1. This book is aimed at jdk1.3, for the purposes of the exam that is servlet spec 2.3 and JSP spec 1.2. I have not been able to locate a jdk 1.4 version of this book.
2. This book WILL help you pass the exam, but if your after a high mark (i.e. >90%) you need to do a lot more. You definitely need to download Tomcat and write servlets sand JSP pages. I also did the 3 practice exams on the accompanying cd, and scored an average of 85%. I did other online practice exams and my score was much lower. I wanted to get above 90%, and decided to splurge and purchase a commercial product, $35, (the one recommended on the cd). If you truly want to kill the exam, you should consider purchasing a commercial exam simulator.
3. Shocking level of mistakes & spelling errors. The book averages an error every 10 pages or so. Still gets 5 stars because of the succinct writing and the 3 practice exams included, which you really do need. Contrary to other reviews, the extensive errata does not make it a bad book. Simply download the errata from www.manning.com/deshmukh and go through your copy with a pencil and fix all the mistakes yourself. (Or you can do what I initially did; and work through the book, every example, and try to spot them yourself).
4. Other reviews mention that to get a great score you really need to read the specs. Well, the servlet and JSP specs are about 130 pages each of facts and statements, with another 100 pages tacked on the end for all the syntax and package/class hierarchy. It's very difficult to read specs, but if that is ok with you, it WILL help a lot.
5. In the back of the book, there is, more or less, a complete example of a Deployment Descriptor (web.xml) file. This is IMPORTANT to study because the elements of a Deployment Descriptor must occur in the right order. This example will reveal that order to you. The book mentions the order, but since the book is broken up into chapters, you easily forget it. Or you can try to memorize the DTD for a Deployment Descriptor at Sun's website; which is a dry way of learning, indeed.

You can attain your goal.
Jeff Walker