Java® and Flex® Integration Bible

Chapter 15. Extending Java and Flex Development

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Building mashups

• Overview of developing custom Flex interfaces

The combination of Java and Flex can create some very powerful Web applications. Data coming from a Java back end can be given life with the dynamic visuals that a Flex front end can provide. Similarly, a rich Flex user interface can become even more engaging by receiving live data from a Java back end.

Often, data that might be useful for your applications resides outside your control. Data such as mapping coordinates, product ratings from online stores, etc., can add another dimension to your Web application that sets it apart from other similar applications. In this chapter, you learn how to combine data from multiple locations and then use it to deliver something entirely new.

Building Mashups

In the world of Web applications, a mashup is an application that uses data or functionality from two or more disparate services and then combines it into a new service that's different from any of the original data sources or functions. For example, a Web application might pull in a list of open houses within 10 miles of a certain ZIP code within a certain date range from a real estate listing site and then use a mapping API (application programming interface) from another site to display those open houses on a map. The mapping site alone doesn't show open houses, and the real estate site doesn't have a mapping feature, but the combination of data from the real estate ...