Connect Java app: Should I use ac-play-java? Alternatives?

[Michael Kitchin]

Hi there,

I have a  Maven-built, standalone Java 8 app (as in, uses streams and other 8-ish features) that works well with Jira using the jira-rest-java-client suite. I'd like to integrate its featureset directly with Atlassian OnDemand with an eye towards the Marketplace, leading me to Connect and ac-play-java. I'm not a Play expert but am willing to learn, however it looks like ac-play-java has fallen behind the current Play framework and, judging from activity may be on its way to deprecation.

So:

1. Should I go further with ac-play-java?
2. If so:
1. What version should I use from Maven/build from source (guessing 0.10.1 from source)?
2. What version of Play framework should this run against (guessing 4.2.x)?
3. Will everything work with Java 8?
3. If not:
1. What's the easiest, 3rd-party route for a Java programmer to get busy with Connect?
2. Relative merits of cobbling together my own JWT/webhook mechanism and wrapping it all up in a WAR, since I'm already talking to Jira through other means?

Thanks very much for your time -- I'm looking forward to proceeding with this work, just a little confused as to how.

[Radu Dumitriu · Accepted solution]

my 2 cents as well:

1. ac-play-java is a solution, for sure, although it seems that was built at a hackaton or something.

2. Play version should be 2.2.6, Scala 2.10.3, AC play 0.10.1 Yes, it works quite well on Java8. I even integrated it with guice and did some dep injection on it

Personally, I doubt play framework, though. I doubt that perf wise is everything rose (put the french e'). Even the name says it: play.

3. Now, I do not know how to tell you this: Connect is a bunch of REST services. If you ever done REST is Java you have nothing to fear of. JWT should not pose problems (but I saw many people stumble into this).

Other than that, don't worry, we're all confused. Confusion will be my epitaph, anyway (#socultured)

[Fábio Antunes]

Hi @Radu Dumitriu Where did you found the informations about compatibility between for ac-play, scala and play versions? Kind Regards, Fabio Antunes

[Volodymyr Krupach]

Hi Michael,

My Work Calendar addon lives on ac-play. I am not sure about ac-play status and would like to hear some update about it as well.

When I started with ac-play I knew nothing about play2 framework and I still do not know much. I mainly use commands to start/stop/build and it's enough. All programming is done on Java relying on classes from ac-play and paly2 and there are no any problems with that.

Answering your questions:

1. Should I go further with ac-play-java?
Really do not know. It works for me and I do not care about updates as long as it works. 

2. If so:
a. What version should I use from Maven/build from source (guessing 0.10.1 from source)?
I guess from sources is the only option and you take the latest.

b. What version of Play framework should this run against (guessing 4.2.x)?
I run on 2.2. 2.4 should work as well.

c. Will everything work with Java 8?
I run on 7. Do not have time/desire to update. 

3. If not:
a. What's the easiest, 3rd-party route for a Java programmer to get busy with Connect?
I really do not know the easy way.

b. Relative merits of cobbling together my own JWT/webhook mechanism and wrapping it all up in a WAR, since I'm already talking to Jira through other means?
My initial intention was to "extract all I need" from ac-play and go my favorite well-known Java webapp way based on Spring IoC + Spring MVC. But I decided that I need to try ac-play and it worked and then I did not have time/desire to do standard webapp.

[Volodymyr Krupach]

Update: just switched the prod instance to Java 8. So far so good. Thanks for encouraging me to do this.