Reef is an AJAX/Javascript component framework for Seaside that models HTML/Javascript components as Smalltalk objects. It hides communication complexity by using a dispatcher. While it requires an extra request, it handles interactions through callbacks like Seaside. Documentation and testing are still areas that need improvement, but optimizations have been made and new widgets have been added. Future work includes further dispatcher optimizations, more meaningful protocol names, documentation, and testing.

1. Reef
AJAX the way it should be
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2. Who am I?
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3. Who am I?
• The guy who builds a VM, and everybody hates
because their plugins are not ready
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4. Who am I?
• The guy who builds a VM, and everybody hates
because their plugins are not ready
• He also does some Seaside time to time
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5. Last year...
• Reef presentation was a big success (thanks!)
• Some of you tried it and provide valuable
feedback...
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6. But not everybody present here today
was present last year...
So... what’s Reef?
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7. “The problem”
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8. Nesting problem
Functionality is distributed all around the component
(and could be worse)
• renderContentOn:
sends renderRegionsOn:
sends renderCitiesOn:
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9. Nesting problem
Real problem is we are still programing in HTML
(yes, with smalltalk “flavour”, but still HTML)
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10. Reef summary
AJAX/Javascript
component
framework for
Seaside.
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11. Reef summary
Models HTML/Javascript components
into Smalltalk objects
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12. Reef summary
Hides communication complexity
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13. Reef architecture
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14. Reef architecture
Dispatcher
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15. A trade-off
(yep, there is always one)
An extra request
(not always, but enough to be taken into account)
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16. Communication
• We handle interactions through callbacks, just
as Seaside
• Texto
But all callbacks should be threat the same
• AJAX calls
• regular requests
• client behavior
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17. Example
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18. Coming to your image... this year!
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19. What changed
(for good)
Better
integration with
jQuery:
skins, widget box
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20. What changed
(for good)
An important
optimization:
#asReefTriggerCallback
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21. What changed
(for good)
More widgets
(but still just
those I need)
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22. What’s new
(and testing)
Composites
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23. What’s new
(and testing)
• Magritte-Reef
• Brings web 2.0 to
Magritte-Seaside
• Ease cool effects:
• tooltips, masks, etc.
• Complex behaviors
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24. What remains
(and it shouldn’t)
• Documentation is still poor
• Reef protocol names are still ugly
• Testing is still non-existent
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25. The heresy revisited
(we need to be heretics again)
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26. you know:
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27. why not:
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28. Future work
• Still experimenting with optimizations around
the dispatcher
• Rename all protocols into something really
meaningful
• Write more documentation (like finalize the
chapter for PBE2)
• More feedback?
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29. Questions?
http://squeaksource.com/Reef
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