# contacts-jquerymobile: CRUD Example Using HTML5, jQuery Mobile and JAX-RS

Joshua Wilson

> The `contacts-jquerymobile` quickstart demonstrates a Java EE 8 mobile database application using HTML5, jQuery Mobile, JAX-RS, JPA, and REST.

## What is it?

The `contact-jquerymobile` quickstart is a deployable Maven 3 project designed to help you get your foot in the door developing HTML5 based mobile web applications with Java EE 8 in JBoss Enterprise Application Platform Server. This project is setup to allow you to create a basic Java EE 8 application using HTML5, jQuery Mobile, JAX-RS, CDI, EJB, JPA, and Bean Validation. It includes a persistence unit and some sample persistence and transaction code to help you get your feet wet with database access in enterprise Java.

This application is built using a HTML5 + REST approach. This uses a pure HTML client that interacts with with the application server via restful end-points (JAX-RS). This application also uses some of the latest HTML5 features and advanced JAX-RS. And since testing is just as important with client side as it is server side, this application uses QUnit to show you how to unit test your JavaScript.

This application focuses on CRUD in a strictly mobile app using only jQuery Mobile(no other frameworks). The user will have the ability to:

- Create a new contact.

- Read a list of contacts.

- Update an existing contact.

- Delete a contact.

Validation is an important part of an application. Typically in an HTML5 app you can let the built-in HTML5 form validation do the work for you. However, mobile browsers do not support this feature at this time. In order to validate the forms, the `jquery.validate` plugin was added, which provides both client-side and server-side validation. Over AJAX, if there is an error, the error is returned and displayed in the form. You can see an example of this in the Edit form if you enter an email that is already in use. The application will attempt to insert the error message into a field if that field exists. If the field does not exist then it display it at the top. In addition, there are QUnit Tests for every form of validation.

## System Requirements

The application this project produces is designed to be run on JBoss Enterprise Application Platform Server 7.2 or later.

All you need to build this project is Java 8.0 (Java SDK 1.8) or later and Maven 3.3.1 or later. See Configure Maven to Build and Deploy the Quickstarts to make sure you are configured correctly for testing the quickstarts.

An HTML5 compatible browser such as Chrome, Safari 5+, Firefox 5+, or IE 9+ is required. Note that some behaviors, such as validation, will vary slightly based on browser support, especially IE 9.

Mobile web support is limited to Android and iOS devices. It should run on HP, and Black Berry devices as well. Windows Phone, and others will be supported as jQuery Mobile announces support.

With the prerequisites out of the way, you are ready to build and deploy.

## Use of EAP_HOME

In the following instructions, replace `EAP_HOME` with the actual path to your JBoss EAP installation. The installation path is described in detail here: Use of EAP_HOME and JBOSS_HOME Variables.

## Start the JBoss EAP Standalone Server

1. Open a terminal and navigate to the root of the JBoss EAP directory.

2. Start the JBoss EAP server with the default profile by typing the following command.

       $ EAP_HOME/bin/standalone.sh

   Note | For Windows, use the `EAP_HOME\bin\standalone.bat` script.

   Adding `-b 0.0.0.0` to the above command allows external clients, such as phones, tablets, and desktops, to connect through your local network. For example:

       $ EAP_HOME/bin/standalone.sh  -b 0.0.0.0

## Build and Deploy the Quickstart

1. Make sure you start the JBoss EAP server as described above.

2. Open a terminal and navigate to the root directory of this quickstart.

3. Type the following command to build the artifacts.

       $ mvn clean package wildfly:deploy

This deploys the `contacts-jquerymobile/target/contacts-jquerymobile.war` to the running instance of the server.

You should see a message in the server log indicating that the archive deployed successfully.

## Access the Application

Access the running client application in a browser at the following URL: http://localhost:8080/contacts-jquerymobile/.

The application is made up of the following pages:

Main page

- Displays a list of contacts.

- Search bar for the list.

- Details button changes to the Detailed list.

- Clicking on a contact brings up an Edit form.

- Menu button (in upper left) opens menu.

Menu pullout

- Add a new contact.

- List/Detail view switcher, depending on what is currently displayed.

- About information.

- Theming - apply various themes (only on the List view).

Details page

- Same as Main page except all information is displayed with each contact.

Add form

- First name, Last name, Phone, Email, and BirthDate fields.

- Save submits the form.

- Clear resets the form but stays on the form.

- Cancel resets the form and goes the Main page.

Edit form

- Same as Add form.

- Delete button will delete the contact currently viewed and return you to the Main page.

## Undeploy the Quickstart

When you are finished testing the quickstart, follow these steps to undeploy the archive.

1. Make sure you start the JBoss EAP server as described above.

2. Open a terminal and navigate to the root directory of this quickstart.

3. Type this command to undeploy the archive:

       $ mvn wildfly:undeploy

## Minification

By default, the project uses the wro4j plugin, which provides the ability to concatenate, validate and minify JavaScript and CSS files. These minified files, as well as their unmodified versions are deployed with the project.

With just a few quick changes to the project, you can link to the minified versions of your JavaScript and CSS files.

First, in the `contacts-jquerymobile/src/main/webapp/index.html` file, search for references to minification and comment or uncomment the appropriate lines.

Finally, wro4j runs in the compile phase, so any standard build command like `package` or `install`, will trigger it. The plugin is in a profile with an ID of `minify` so you must specify that profile in your Maven build.

By default, tests are disabled, so you must use the Arquillian test profile to run tests when minifying.

- For example, to deploy with no tests:

      $ mvn clean package wildfly:deploy -Pminify

- To deploy with tests:

      $ mvn clean verify wildfly:deploy -Pminify,arq-remote

## Run the Arquillian Tests

This quickstart provides Arquillian tests. By default, these tests are configured to be skipped since Arquillian tests require the use of a container.

Note | The Arquillian tests deploy the application, so make sure you undeploy the quickstart before you begin.

Follow these steps to run the tests.

1. Start the JBoss EAP server as described above.

2. Open a terminal and navigate to the root directory of this quickstart.

3. Type the following command to run the `verify` goal with the `arq-remote` profile activated.

       $ mvn clean verify -Parq-remote

Note | You can also let Arquillian manage the JBoss EAP server by using the `arq-managed` profile, meaning the tests will start the server for you. This profile requires that you provide Arquillian with the location of the JBoss EAP server, either by setting the `JBOSS_HOME` environment variable, or by setting the `jbossHome` property in the `arquillian.xml` file. For more information, see Run the Arquillian Tests.

## Run the QUnit Tests

QUnit is a JavaScript unit testing framework used and built by jQuery. Because JavaScript code is the core of this HTML5 application, this quickstart provides a set of QUnit tests that automate testing of this code in various browsers. Executing QUnit test cases are quite easy.

Simply load the `QUICKSTART_HOME/contacts-jquerymobile/src/test/qunit/index.html` file in the browser you want to test.

Note | If you use Chrome, some date tests fail. These are false failures and are known issues with Chrome. FireFox, Safari, and IE run the tests correctly. You can also display the tests using the Eclipse built-in browser.

For more information on QUnit tests, see http://qunitjs.com/.

## Run the Arquillian Functional Tests

This quickstart provides Arquillian functional tests. They are located under the `functional-tests/` directory. Functional tests verify that your application behaves correctly from the user’s point of view and simulate clicking around the web page as a normal user would do.

Note | The Arquillian functional tests deploy the application, so make sure you undeploy the quickstart before you begin.

Follow these steps to run the functional tests.

1. Start the JBoss EAP server as described above.

2. Build the quickstart archive.

   1. Open a terminal and navigate to the root directory of this quickstart.

   2. Build the quickstart archive using the following command:

          $ mvn clean package

3. Navigate to the `functional-tests/` directory in this quickstart.

4. Type the following command to run the `verify` goal with the `arq-remote` profile activated.

       $ mvn clean verify -Parq-remote

Note | You can also let Arquillian manage the JBoss EAP server by using the `arq-managed` profile, meaning the tests will start the server for you. This profile requires that you provide Arquillian with the location of the JBoss EAP server, either by setting the `JBOSS_HOME` environment variable, or by setting the `jbossHome` property in the `arquillian.xml` file. For more information, see Run the Arquillian Tests.

## Run the Quickstart in Red Hat JBoss Developer Studio or Eclipse

You can also start the server and deploy the quickstarts or run the Arquillian tests in Red Hat JBoss Developer Studio or from Eclipse using JBoss tools. For general information about how to import a quickstart, add a JBoss EAP server, and build and deploy a quickstart, see Use JBoss Developer Studio or Eclipse to Run the Quickstarts.

## Debug the Application

If you want to be able to debug into the source code or look at the Javadocs of any library in the project, you can run either of the following two commands to pull them into your local repository. The IDE should then detect them.

    $ mvn dependency:sources
    $ mvn dependency:resolve -Dclassifier=javadoc