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Discussion on: Modern GWT, first steps

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Thomas Broyer

There are basically two approaches to learn things:

  • bottom-up: explain the concepts of GWT modules, what are the GWT tools and what their inputs are, say what needs to be done, then finally how it can be done with Maven, and in that final step you can say that the module is generated from src/main/module.gwt.xml and <moduleName>
  • top-down: explain how things are done with Maven and what commands to use when (create a src/main/module.xml, choose a package name and configure <moduleName> from it by appending a simple name, e.g. .App, and put your code in a .client subpackage; also configure the moduleShortName which will be used to compute the name of the output JS files), then progressively (not necessarily in the same article) explain what happens under the hood (e.g. "actually, GWT needs a module as input that needs to live in a package; the Maven plugin will rename your src/main/module.gwt.xml based on the <moduleName>, and will inject a rename-to attribute with the <moduleShortName>")

You can choose either approach, but IMO you should stick to the one you chose.

It should also be clear whether the target audience are people new to GWT, or people who already used Maven to build GWT apps. For the first group of people, you need to put apart your own feelings about migrating from Mojo's plugin to mine; for the second group you'll likely want to explain how to convert their project, or at least what the differences are between their old approach and the "modern" one (your own term)

But well, this is your article, not mine; and (disclaimer) I haven't re-read it (just skimmed through).