Sakai application (tool) structure

Information

This details the recommended structure for Sakai 2.4+ applications (or tools). (powerpoint)
This is the new simplified structure which makes maven2 easier to work with

Application structure

• Basic tool structure
  tool -> logic-api -> logic-impl -> dao-api -> dao-impl
• Model connection
  model -> logic-api, dao-api, etc...
• Optional service connection
  public-api -> logic-api

NOTE: Ideally the DAO api would not be in shared but the current component model does not allow for this

File Structure

• app-name
  • api - project with all interfaces, model objects, and hibernate hbm files
    Deploy as a jar to shared [ no dependencies ]
    (optional) eclipse .project here (name the project <app-name>-api)
    • src - includes interfaces, model objects, and hbm files
    • test - (optional) may include shared test data and mock objects which help other with tests
  • impl - project at this level
    Deploy as a jar, include in pack [api]
    (optional) eclipse .project here (name the project <app-name>-impl)
    • src - includes java source for all implementations of apis
    • test - includes all unit and integration tests
  • pack - project for components stuff needed by Sakai (should just a set of spring config files)
    Deploy to components [impl (all in war bundle)]
  • tool - project for the tool (interface to the user)
    Deploy as a war [api]
    (optional) eclipse .project here (name the project <app-name>-tool)
    • src - java src directory
      • java - any java code used for the tool only
      • webapp
        • app-name - JSF jsp files here
        • css
        • images
        • templates - RSF html templates
        • tools - Sakai tool.xml files goes in here
        • WEB-INF - lots of xml config files here (web.xml, applicationContext.xml, etc...

project.xml hints listed below each directory in italics, dependencies are in []
Note: Applications can also just use one eclipse project for the entire application.

Java structure (packages)

• org.sakaiproject.app-name
  • dao
    all dao api classes
    • impl
      all dao implementation classes
  • hbm
    hibernate mapping files only
  • logic
    all business logic api classes
    • impl
      all business logic implementation classes
  • model
    all value object POJOs
  • service (cannot use public)
    all publically accessible api classes related to the app
  • tool
    all java classes related to the tool (backing beans)
    • jsf, producers, params
      presentation specific classes related to the tool

Note: You may have your own package base instead of org.sakaiproject

Definitions

• project - a maven project (should have it's own project.xml file)
• app or webapp - the entire application including the tool, apis, impls, etc...
• tool - The part a Sakai user interacts with
• public-api - The api you would make accessible to other programmers (sometimes known as service)
• logic - business logic or application logic (might be the same as the service)
• model - The value objects or the POJOs that store the data for your app
• dao - The data access layer of your app (a.k.a. data access object), talks to a persistent storage mechanism
• (optional) - May not be needed depending on your tool structure