AI Coding Zen and the Art of Context Management
Forget the perfect prompt - mastering context management is the real secret to productive AI-assisted development.
Software Development
124 posts
Managing Home and Work GitHub Accounts from the Same Machine
Keep your personal and work GitHub identities separate with SSH config tricks that route keys automatically.
Stop Bots for Free with Cloudflare Turnstile in your Spring Boot App
My first Maven Central library: Free Cloudflare Turnstile integration for Spring Boot with zero CAPTCHA friction.
Easy AI Powered Translation For Your Java App!
AI-powered translation keeps your Java message bundles in sync across languages without manual translation work.
Introducing the New and Improved Spring User Framework
Spring User Framework gets a major upgrade two years later with new features and flexible architecture.
Bedrock API Authentication Made Me Quit My Project
Explore AWS Bedrock API, a direct competitor to OpenAI with Generative AI LLMaaS, and the implications of its Signature v4 authentication method. This article delves into the complexities and potential developer challenges posed by AWS's security-focused approach, highlighting the importance of simplicity and documentation in developer adoption.
How to get SpringBoot LiveReload Working over HTTPS
HTTPS breaks LiveReload in Spring Boot - here's the WebSocket fix to keep hot reloads working over secure connections.
SpringBoot DevTools Auto Restart and Live Reload
Spring Boot DevTools auto-restarts your app and reloads the browser - speeds up dev cycles significantly.
Micronaut, GraalVM, Native, AWS Lambda, and Apple Silicon M1!
I have run into some issues getting Micronaut, GraalVM, and Native builds working correctly on my Apple Silicon M1 Max based MacBookPro. So I wanted to share what I've needed to do to get things working correctly.
A framework for building Shopify Apps using Java Spring Boot
Spring Shopify App Framework handles auth, webhooks, and REST/GraphQL APIs for building Java-based Shopify apps.
3 Reasons I’m Switching from Eclipse to VSCode as a Java Developer
After 18 years of Eclipse, VSCode is faster, lighter, and better for modern Spring Boot development.
Jump Start Your App With A Spring User Management App
Flexible Spring User Framework cuts boilerplate on auth, registration, and password flows across projects.
Spring AWS SQS Queue Problem QueueDoesNotExistException
QueueDoesNotExistException in Spring + SQS? Check your queue creation and region configuration first.
Session and Memory Leak on Wildfly 10
Wildfly 10 session leak traced to WebappLifecycleListener - a JBoss bug that needs workarounds for production.
Oracle Commerce Cloud - The Good, Bad, and Ugly
Oracle Commerce Cloud: great idea on paper, but pricing and feature gaps make on-premise ATG still competitive.
Control Nest Thermostat From the Command Line Using Nest API
Learn how to control your Nest Thermostat from the comfort of your command line with the Nest API!
New ATG Rest Module
Jersey-based REST module simplifies ATG REST service configuration with annotations instead of verbose setup.
Double the Oracle DB connections from JBoss you expect?
JBoss doubles your Oracle connection pool size when separating transactional and non-transactional connections.
Tools and Processes for Work
Eclipse, SVN, and heap dump analysis form the backbone of professional Java application development.
ATG and The Cloud
Cloud computing and VMs suit many workloads, but ATG hosting isn't one of them.
MobileMe to iCloud Migration Calendar Issues
MobileMe to iCloud migration resent hundreds of calendar invites. Pro tip: verify your settings before switching email calendar systems.
SEO Tricks from Patio11
Patrick McKenzie's SEO insights spark valuable Hacker News discussion on practical search engine optimization strategies.
Is there a Wordpress plugin for making notes?
Seeking WordPress plugin for managing draft notes alongside post content - research repository within the editor.
The Twelve Factor App Review – part 2
Twelve Factor App part 2: port binding, disposability, dev/prod parity, logs, and processes - critical for modern architecture.
The Twelve Factor App Review - part 1
I don't agree with the Twelve Factor App guidelines, and here's why.
Site Redesign Underway
Redesigning for clarity: reorganizing navigation and content to serve tech-focused visitors better.
IE 7, 8, and 9 Under OS X
Test legacy Internet Explorer versions on Mac and Linux without proprietary software restrictions.
Seam Identity Management
Building a reusable Seam framework foundation for rapid application development with identity management.
Managing Static Assets in your ATG Application
Strategic approach to organizing static assets in ATG applications for maintainability and deployment.
First brush with Ruby On Rails
First hands-on experience with Ruby on Rails reveals powerful patterns alongside framework limitations.
Stealing my Resume? Try Learning ATG First.
Stolen resume lands interview but fails immediately when ATG knowledge is required. Technical expertise can't be faked.
JBoss Performance Tuning and MasterTheBoss
JBoss Performance Tuning book offers data-driven insights for optimizing application deployments.
ATG CSC Search Issues
ATG CSC Search engine brings configuration complexity and Mac incompatibility to profile and order lookups.
Guide for Large Scale ATG Applications
64-page guide to scaling ATG applications across hundreds of nodes with insights from AT&T's massive cluster.
ATG CSC Usability
ATG's new CSC UI looks modern but loads slower and confuses users more than the bare-bones interface it replaced.
ATG CSC UI Customization
Customizing ATG CSC UI is a nightmare compared to the straightforward JSP editing that Commerce Assist allowed.
ATG CSC and why I hate it
ATG 9.1's CSC is bloated, complex, and dependent on too many moving parts compared to the simpler Commerce Assist.
JBoss JMS Doesn't Create Tables with XA Datasource
JBoss JMS with XA datasources silently fails to create tables - here's the fix and what we learned.
Terrible Code
Bad variable names and confusing method signatures make code harder to maintain - here are real examples.
Flush the Cache Droplet Upon CA Deployments
Flush your ATG cache after deployments using a component triggered by Deployment Events to prevent stale data.
Eclipse Auto Complete Templates for ATG
Eclipse templates save time and improve code quality by automating commonly repeated code blocks.
Google Speed!
Google's speed optimization guidelines emphasize smaller code size, but avoid over-optimizing CSS at the cost of maintainability.
JavaScript Speeds
IE 7's JavaScript engine runs 10x slower than Safari 4, making it painful for AJAX-heavy interfaces.
Why I like jQuery (over Dojo)
Switching from Dojo to jQuery reveals how much simpler AJAX-driven interfaces become with a better framework.
Seam 2.x Web Development
Packt Publishing's "Seam 2.x Web Development" by David Salter is a practical guide to building web apps with Seam.
MSSQL, jTDS, NVARCHAR and Slow Indexes
MSSQL with jTDS, NVARCHAR fields, and slow indexes - a learning curve for production deployments.
Environment specific mail auth and Seam's MailSession
Seam MailSession fails with IP-based auth - configure environment-specific mail settings in components.xml.
ATG SEO - Tools and Traffic
SEO tools like SEOWorkers analyzer and Google Webmaster Tools provide keyword data and crawl insights for rankings.
ATG SEO - URL Formats and Crawler Limits
Expressive URLs help both SEO rankings and user experience - avoid opaque query parameters in site structure.
ATG SEO - Accessibility and GoogleBot
Semantic HTML markup improves both search engine rankings and accessibility for users with disabilities - a win-win for web design.
"No repository found containing" Error when update Eclipse
Eclipse plugin updates failing? Add trailing slashes to repository URLs and reimport them to fix the "No repository found" error.
ATG SEO - Search Engine Optimization
Search engines reward well-built, accessible sites that follow standards - forget gaming Google and focus on creating genuinely useful content.
Make A Custom RichFaces Skin
Build custom RichFaces skins by extending default CSS instead of paying for expensive design overhauls to match your brand.
Provide Useful Error Messages
TicketMaster's error page is a masterclass in what NOT to do - no styling, no helpful info, and zero guidance for users.
Hiding and Showing a Dijit ContentPane in a TabContainer
Hide and show Dijit ContentPanes in TabContainers by saving widget references before removal and restoring them later.
Smush.it Shrinks Your Images
Smush.it automatically optimizes your images without Photoshop tweaking - compress files and boost web performance instantly.
RichFaces Refcardz from DZone
DZone's free RichFaces quick reference guide covers installation, core concepts, and every a4j and rich tag with examples.
Setting Up SPF, SenderId, Domain Keys, and DKIM
Secure your mail server against spam using SPF, SenderId, Domain Keys, and DKIM - four essential anti-spam authentication standards.
Website Checklist
Essential website launch checklist - a visual guide to avoiding critical oversights before go-live.
Making Your DHTML or AJAX Application Bookmarkable
Preserve browser history for dynamic web apps - JavaScript-driven pages need URLs too.
Improving ATG Performance With a CDN
Content delivery networks serve static assets faster from servers near users, doubling perceived performance.
Improving Secondary Asset Loading Time for an ATG Application
Images and scripts kill load time - reduce file count, leverage caching, and watch metrics plummet.
Setting Cache Headers from JBoss
Cache HTTP headers from JBoss using servlet filters - control what browsers keep and for how long.
Improving JSP Serving Time for an ATG Application
JSPs are bottlenecks; cache content sections to cut generation time, free up threads faster.
Why Is User Experience Performance So Important?
100ms slower = 1% sales drop (Amazon). Half-second delays tank Google traffic 20% - speed is revenue.
ATG User Experience Performance Tuning
Page load speed directly impacts user behavior - ATG apps need tuning across HTML, DOM, and assets.
ATG Performance Tuning
ATG performance isn't magic. Proven strategies cut costs and lift conversions on complex e-commerce apps.
Please Stop Using Yahoo Mail
Yahoo Mail silently kills your emails despite clean records. Switch to Gmail and actually receive messages.
Free Seam Cheat Sheet
Free Seam cheat sheet from DZone - lookup annotations, schemas, and patterns in seconds.
Preventing Multiple Submits On An ATG Form
Prevent form submission spam in ATG with JavaScript - disable buttons properly without breaking the handle method.
Eclipse, Subversion, and SSH_OPEN_ADMINISTRATIVELY_PROHIBITED
SSH_OPEN_ADMINISTRATIVELY_PROHIBITED error in Subclipse? Add -Dsvnkit.ssh2.persistent=false to eclipse.ini to fix it.
Time Machine To The Rescue
Accidentally deleted entire ATG installation with bad build config - Time Machine restored it from wireless backup in minutes.
Protocol Buffers
Google's Protocol Buffers: XML binding but faster and simpler, with automatic parsing and serialization built in.
JForum SSO (single sign-on) and Atlassian Crowd
SSO bridge between JForum and Atlassian Crowd syncs user groups automatically - no separate forum login needed.
What is Web 2.0?
Web 2.0 promised innovation but delivered startups layering trivial value on others' data with zero revenue plans.
How to Clean a Corrupt Event From iCal
A corrupted repeating event spawned 12,000+ calendar instances, clogging iCal. TextMate regex saved the day.
ATG License IP Checks on JBoss
ATG license validation checks /etc/hosts hostname mapping, not JBoss IP binding - counterintuitive and easy to misconfigure.
Project Process - ATG Development Practices
ATG development processes deserve documentation, but urgent projects come first.
Starting Assumptions - ATG Development Practices
Commerce sites demand speed, quality, and budget flexibility - pick two, but compromise intentionally.
ATG Development Practices
Best practices guide for ATG development: starting assumptions, roles, processes, and quality delivery.
Project Roles - ATG Development Practices
ATG project roles: client rep, PM, architect, analyst - a baseline team structure that adapts to your needs.
GWT In Practice
GWT In Practice delivers practical guidance for building advanced web UIs - and includes a real author endorsement.
HowGoodIWas.com Beta Launch
HowGoodIWas beta lets ex-athletes reconnect, share memories, and relive competitive glory through social media.
Updates to the ATG RSS Feed Module
ATG RSS Feed Droplet now supports configurable character encodings - reformatting breaks feeds, so beware.
Adding the "Upload Image" Button in the ACC
Russell Moore figured out how to add upload image functionality to the ATG Commerce Center for custom binary properties.
RichFaces Modal Panels, s:graphicImage, and IE6
RichFaces modal panels break in IE6 when using s:graphicImage - use a Servlet workaround instead.
Seam EntityHome Design Pattern
Seam's Home object design pattern solves LazyInitializationException and entity manager scope issues.
Getting the Real IP Address from a Proxied Request in ATG
Real IP addresses hide behind load balancers and proxies - use X-FORWARDED-FOR and the ProxyIPFixer servlet.
Apache Proxy Breaks RichFaces
Apache proxy blocks RichFaces JavaScript - the ContextRoot/a4j path needs direct access, not load balanced.
How To Resize Uploaded Images Using Java - Better Way
Better Java image resizing for thumbnails - higher quality output with improved code based on feedback.
Oracle Export (exp) and Initial Extent Size Issues
Oracle exp/imp inflates table sizes - INITIAL extent settings preserve old dimensions even after shrinking.
An Easy Way to Drop All Tables in Your Tablespace in Oracle
Drop all Oracle tables easily - generate a SQL script from querying user_tables, then execute it.
login-required="true" Will End Your Conversation
That convenient login redirect? It kills conversations. Here's why and how to fix it.
How To Resize Uploaded Images Using Java
Automated image resize, thumbnail generation, and format standardization in Java - the practical way.
Displaying and Rerendering a RichFaces ModalPanel from a commandLink
Let's say that when a user clicks on something, perhaps selecting something from a DataTable or DataGrid, you want to call some server side code, and then popup a modal panel which needs to show content based on the new state setup by your server side call. In my case I have a DataGrid showing a number of items, and when a user clicks on an item I want to set the current selected item on a Seam component on the server, and then popup a modal panel to display detailed information about the item, and provide the user some actions within the modal panel.
How to get RichFaces to not crash Safari
RichFaces wrecks Safari. One config line stops the crashes cold.
ATG Project Templates and Open Source Modules
Open-source ATG modules for caching, encryption, captcha, and more - ready to integrate.
Oracle PL/SQL Loop to Update Fields with Periodic Commits
Batch-updated 1.7 million password hashes? PL/SQL loops with checkpoints beat direct mutations.
ATG Cache Header Control Module
Manage cache headers by MIME type and URI pattern in ATG without custom servlet filters.
Eclipse StartOnFirstThread Error (and fix!)
Eclipse crashes on Leopard? Add one JVM flag. Problem solved.
Quartz Scheduling and Seam (part 1)
Getting Quartz scheduling to work with Seam proved tricky - here's what I learned navigating sparse docs and setup gotchas.
Design Pattern for Updating an ATG Order
The essential pattern for safely updating ATG orders: lock management, transactions, and synchronization explained by an ATG architect.
CAPTCHA with Seam in Three Minutes
Adding CAPTCHA protection to Seam forms takes three minutes - here's exactly how, including the build and config changes needed.
ATG Installation on OS X
ATG's installer remains broken on OS X, but a single config.xml fix bypasses the platform limitations plaguing developers.
Use Emacs to edit compressed .ear and .war files
Emacs can edit files inside .war and .ear archives using archive-mode - add three lines to your config and edit deployments directly.
ATG Dynamo - back to basics
ATG's product explosion (Ticketing, Search, Merchandising, etc.) sells licenses but ignores the core platform issues.
ATG Security
XSS and SQL injection are the web's deadliest threats - ATG Dynamo helps but doesn't solve the problem completely.
Accessing nested Item properties within a RepositoryFormHandler programatically
Editing nested RepositoryItems in ATG requires programmatic tricks with RepositoryFormHandler subclassing - this approach works.
StringUtils in ATG Dynamo
ATG Dynamo's StringUtils class quietly handles validation with isEmpty() and isBlank() methods.
JBoss Tools Properties Editor Surprise
JBoss Tools' properties editor looks great but strips equals signs - a quick fix prevents data loss.
seam-gen and multiple projects part two
Seam-gen now generates ant targets that run seam tasks directly from your IDE - no command line needed.
seam-gen and multiple projects
Enhancing seam-gen to support multiple projects.
Constants
Java constants use final and static modifiers for efficiency, memory safety, and compile-time inlining.
ATG RSS Generator Droplet
ATG RSS generator droplet transforms repository data into valid RSS feeds with customizable channel fields.
ItemToXMLDroplet
ItemToXMLDroplet converts repository items to XML for client-side JavaScript or Flash consumption.
Java One '07
Java One 2007 delivered overwhelming scale with thousands attending - but surprisingly, Apple laptops ruled sessions and hallways alike.
Web Services and Seam
Expose Seam components through web services using the JBoss component model - no magic, just clean architecture and lifecycle management.
Lions and Tigers and Third-Party Javascript
Third-party JavaScript on your site hands browser control to strangers - the security risks range from theft to phishing attacks.
What's up with SMTPS?
SMTP remains unchanged since 1982, but modern email demands more - SMTPS finally brings security to this ancient protocol.
PGP E-mail Encryption conceptual issue
Email encryption needs mainstream adoption - major mail programs should ship PGP support by default.
Seam example project structure
Getting Seam projects running required custom setup; here's a reusable base project structure.
Tag URI
Tag URIs uniquely identify entities through time, but finding practical applications remains the challenge.
JBoss Seam
JBoss Seam unifies AJAX, JSF, and EJB3 to simplify Web 2.0 development with annotated POJOs.
FP!
New blog exploring technology insights from a Java and security architect's perspective.