Designing a Feature Tracking Web-Tool Using Java and XML

This book describes an architecture for a feature tracking tool. After an introduction to the process of feature tracking, an overview of the implemented architecture and used technologies will be given. The system is realized as a server-client architecture exchanging XML messages via HTTP implemented in REST (Representational State Transfer). Persistent storage can be done on the server or on a client - each time using a native XML database. The server represents the central repository with which all clients synchronize their data. This document will show why this design and the technologies used represent an ideal solution for the problem. The main focus of the book will be on a web client that was implemented as one possible front-end for the system. Possible technologies ranging from CGI to Model2 and popular frameworks for web applications, such as Struts and JavaServer Faces, will be discussed. Following this, an explanation of which solution was chosen and why it was chosen will be given. Several aspects of the system and the web client in particular will be discussed in detail before a reflection of the implemented components and an outlook will be given.