Web Development·12,052 discussions

JSP vs ASP.net

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As a self employed web application developer, I’ve written a few JSP (-Struts) applications. Because Java was a hype when I was studying, JSP was a natural route to follow. I’ve come to love Java and related techniques. But fearing the risk of being blinded by love, I ask for your opinion wether I should spend my time learning ASP(.net) as well. Until now, I’ve managed to steer my projects down the Java road, but how fierce should I defend this approach? Are there major benefits of ASP that JSP doesn’t have? I’ve considered the two as equal (although I’ve always been a Java advocate). Are they? Is it just a matter of taste? Or are there practical issues that can’t be remedied by one of them?

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Open Your Wallet

In reply to JSP vs ASP.net

What’s important is to try to go where the money is so I went through this myself a couple years ago. As an ASP programmer I was always impressed with the way JSP’s were pre-compiled and maintained along with servlets in a container’s application context so when ASP.NET came out I figured it would take off.

For the server, ASP.NET is 100% platform independent as long as you’re using Windows 2000, XP Pro, or a Server flavor, none of which are free. The 2000 versions are easy to get ahold of and install to learn with but it’s hard to load XP or 2003 on a learning box because of the activation process.

Unless you’re a glutton for punishment, you need Visual Studio to develop ASP.NET applications – ~$800, again, not as easy to get ahold of for learning as Visual Studio 6 was.

Visual Studio is great! This is where Microsoft shines. Anyone with a pulse can be writing simple ASP.NET applications almost immediately from a drag and drop interface with very little comprehension of what’s happening under the covers.

Of course once I got past the ‘ASP.NET For Dummies’ stage and into the real world, I found VERY little to differentiate ASP.NET and Java Struts in terms of functionality or coding efficiency. The ASP.NET ‘event’ model is much more complicated than Struts. Not to be outdone in terms of complicated frameworks, Sun has created JSF which is every bit as complicated as ASP.NET.

Won’t hurt

In reply to Open Your Wallet

If you are independent, you should be well versed in most all languages. C# is similar to Jave in syntax, so the mental hurdle won’t be to high. You can also download a free version of VS for web applications from MS.

I do both, it doesn’t hurt me at all.

platform independent…

In reply to Open Your Wallet

I agree with you generally speaking. Only disagree on platform independence: with ASP.Net you are married with Windows. For a self employee, it should be good to know ASP, but only as part of his toolkit. JSP should be more opened for market opportunities.

What about Mono

In reply to platform independent…

It’s still early, but Mono has an ECMA standard. I have tried it on Linux but not on Windows yet. But it should work no problem on windows.

ISV shouldn’t use ASP.NET

In reply to JSP vs ASP.net

If you intend to develop an web application that you want to sell, you shouldn’t use ASP.NET, unless you charge more than $5000-$10000.

If you develop a web-based software that your customers install on their computers, your customers will have to buy a Windows Server license ($400-$1000) + an External connector license ($2000-$3000). You will need a external connector license as soon as you do ANY kind of login (form-based or windows authentification).

My only hope now is that I can use Mono on Linux.

Not a bad idea

In reply to JSP vs ASP.net

I think it could not hurt for you to become versed in asp.net. I do not think you will find it big stretch given a background in Java struts programming. I have training in both worlds and it is not too difficult to switch hit. If you use C# you will find the syntax very similar (eg: StringBuilder vs StringBuffer). The bigger differences will come in data retrieval and persistence patterns employed in ADO.NET but this is by no means an insurmountable challenge.

Beside the money issue…

In reply to JSP vs ASP.net

Thanks for the replies so far. I’ve understood that the major disadvantage of ASP is the cost.
But what about the other differences? What are the advantages/drawbacks on the coding side? Should I learn ASP to do something that JSP can’t offer me (other than programming on the IIS)? I guess when it’s up to me to decide on the hosting environment, I can always pull the JSP card, not? There are no advantages in ASP then? After all, why should I waste my time learning it, while I could use that time to get even more specialized in JSP?

Red or blue?

In reply to Beside the money issue…

Hi,

A few years ago, I had to choose between Java technologies and .NET technologies.
At that point, I made my decision by building an application with both sets of technologies. By then, .NET won.

However, I’ve following Java developing very close, in fact, my main work is managing J2EE application servers besides a serious free-lancing.

Choose one, but don’t leave the other. You may become master of one and apprentice of the other or many others (ruby, perl, php, etc)

There will be a point when what you’ve learned come to value.

Saludos

Fan of technology

In reply to Beside the money issue…

Hey d,
I’ve been down this road for years now and still haven’t gotten to the point where I’m using only JSP or ASP. If you’re going solo, you should be up on both and more. But for preference sake, if you use java you can normally expect several approaches to solution. For example using struts vs. JSF, two very good web solutions, but choosing between them is a matter of preference, like driving a Ford, or a Chevy. If you do decide continue with JSP, you should seriously consider learning JEE and application servers. I’ve seen a good deal of demand for enterprise programmers. I used to be a huge advocate for MS technologies until .NET came out and I was like “You’re telling me I’ve gotta learn all of this stuff over again?” That was when I started looking into other technologies. Open source is a good choice and has huge support by many large companies that really see to it that it succeeds and has a great community.

Apples or Oranges?

In reply to Beside the money issue…

Both languages/environments/toolsets can be used by a professional programmer to produce brilliant web applications for the customer. The important thing we should all remember is that the client’s business needs are paramount. The choices an individual developer or a team make will be based on several factors including such things as the required functionality, project and customer timelines, programmer skills and knowledge, existing infrastructure, cost of software, programming time, etc etc. The circumstances at hand will make either JSP or ASP.NET the best choice for any given project.
My team delivers a Diploma in Web Development in Hornsby NSW Australia. Over the year, students learn ASP.NET and Java, and strong SQL Server and MySQL skills, and lots more. We think there are benefits (and otherwise) to using particular tools. Students also learn the value of ethical behaviour in working as an professional developer. They have to learn to base the decision about which toolset to use for a project on the circumstances at hand and the customer’s needs. This recipe seems to be working. One of our graduates won a Gold Medal at the WorldSkills International competition in Helsinki in 2005 in the Web Design category.

VS2005 vs Java

In reply to JSP vs ASP.net

At the first place, Java can be cross-platform and VS2005 is windows dependent.

C# and Java just like a twin.

Currently, I learn the the both language and I don’t know which language will dominant the language.

For web page design, some argument said the LAMP (Linux, Apache Server, MySQL, PHP)is the fastest, simplest and money safest combination for beginner. In term of resuablity, this is out.

Cost Is Misrepresented

In reply to JSP vs ASP.net

Several of the replies that I have read are just plain wrong. In some cases, they used to be the right answer. In fact, before November 7 of last year they were the right answer. But the times they are a changin…

You can get a free version of Visual Web Developer Express by downloading it from Microsoft’s developer web site.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/default.aspx

There are also free versions of VB.NET, C#, C++, J# and SQL Server Express. You could be writing your first ASP.NET app within an hour (depending on your download speed ) and it will not cost you a thing, if you already have XP, 2000, or 2003 installed.

Also, the per-connection fees that one reply mentioned only apply to authenticated access.

From the Microsoft Server 2003 Website FAQ:

Q. How do you define “authenticated access”?

A. Authenticated access is defined as an exchange of user or application credentials between the server software and a user or device. An example of unauthenticated access is unidentified users browsing your public Web site. Client Access Licenses are not required for these users.

I did a quick google for CAL the first site I clicked on was selling them for 30.00 USD, so your application pricing would have to take this into account, obviously.

But if your not a VAR, just a developer, and you want to learn ASP.NET, you can write code today for free.

And for VARs Microsoft has a partner program that lets you get an MSDN subscription for $405.00 USD.

For those that don’t know, an MSDN subscription is where Microsoft pretty much sends you every program, operating system, and development tool that they make, with several licences, so that you can write software using the technology. You get a binder full of CD/DVDs, plus the ability to download ISO images from the MSDN web site. And every quarter, they ship more. I still find the disks laying around, and it’s been years since I had a subscription.

What I would suggest is download the free express editon, install it, and write a simple “Hello World” application. Then you have an informed opinion. You can also play with the technology at your leisure.

A great resource for ASP.NET code samples is The Code Project.

http://thecodeproject.com

Re: Cost Is Misrepresented

In reply to Cost Is Misrepresented

What do you mean by “Cost Is Misrepresented”.

According to the quote below, techrepublic.com needs Client Access Licenses (CAL) if they were built using ASP.NET. I had to log in in order to write this entry. There are very few system out there where you NEVER ask for credentials.

From the Microsoft Server 2003 Website FAQ:

Q. How do you define “authenticated access”?

A. Authenticated access is defined as an exchange of user or application credentials between the server software and a user or device. An example of unauthenticated access is unidentified users browsing your public Web site. Client Access Licenses are not required for these users.

Been There

In reply to Re: Cost Is Misrepresented

I was doing ASP work back in 2000 and I came to a point where I needed to make a decision to move to ASP.Net. At the time, my skills were limited to VB so upgrading was a little daunting. After fighting with a lack of knowledgeable peers and limited MSDN references, I started to get a little frustrated.

Then I ended up with an assignment extending the functionality of an Apache Tomcat/JBoss web server. After spending some time learning Java, I was able to start tinkering and almost immediately and began to feel like it was going to be my calling. I have to admit that I had a little disgust for development on a Microsoft platform at this point.

So how does this fit into the context of this topic? I think if you are providing customizable solutions and have control over the design and hardware you are better served by a J2SE/J2EE based solution. If you have a chance of being at the mercy of customers with Microsoft infrastructure, it would make sense to get on board with .Net. I would still try to get them out from under .Net and the money pit of licensing.

I think C# is the reaction from this migration to J2SE/J2EE by many developers like me. Over the last 2 years I’ve played around with C# and think it would be the logical path back if I was forced to get back to .Net.

Another important point: Java runs on more than just Windows, .Net doesn’t.

Library Management System in JSP,Structs

In reply to JSP vs ASP.net

hello sir i am mohamed ithiris.i have needed library management system for maintaing a school. please send through my
mailid : ithiris_btech@yahoo.co.in

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