Java Desktop application framework [closed]

Question

I am working on designing and building a desktop application. I am thinking about using eclipse or netbeans for the base of this application. However, I have never built on either of these platforms. I am personally leaning to using netbeans because it seams like that platform is an easer learning curve. But, I wanted to ask people that have actually build on these platforms before which one is easier to use?

My personal definition of easer is as follows:

• Easy to get started with

• Consistent and logical API

• Good documentation

• Easy to build and deploy

Thanks very much,

Josh

Answer 1

I can't say enough about the Eclipse RCP platform. I would recommend it for any Java desktop app development.

It's free, has great tutorials, and allows cross-platform development of rich desktop applications that use native OS windowing toolkit, meaning that your application will look native in any platform. It also has a clean API that stays out of your way, and makes deploying to any platform a piece of cake.

If your interested check out this book: http://www.amazon.com/Eclipse-Rich-Client-Platform-Applications/dp/0321334612

Answer 2

• Easy to use: I have experience developing on Eclipse and I have to say it's not easy to understand its development model. Sure for basic stuff it has some wizards that make easier, but for something a little more complex it's just difficult. I don't know about Netbeans, but I heard its easier.
• Consistent API: I think Eclipse wins in this aspect. It runs over OSGI (brings some complexity though) and has plugins extensions for pretty much everything. It seems to be the platform of choice for plugin development, so I can assume it's reliable.
• Documentation: Eclipse wins by far. The help from eclipse site is excelent and the mailing list has plenny of users questions.

Answer 3

I have used Eclipse as a framework base but it was mostly just using SWT-- we didn't really use much of the RCP.

It really depends on what you're writing, but from what I have learned from using Eclipse it is really only suited for writing an app that involves you editing data using various views (just like editing code).

Anything more random that than can cause you to start pushing the framework in a direction it wasn't designed and causing massive fail.