do you know where to download GWT components and widgets?

Question

do you know where to download GWT components and widgets?

thanks.

by the way, where do i need to put the GWT components & widgets in my project?

Answer 1

Here's just a few places:

http://gwt-widget.sourceforge.net/

http://code.google.com/p/gwt-ext/

In terms of where you put them, you just generally add the jar file to the classpath of your build process, and the put an inherits line in whatever .gwt.xml file you want to use them in, for example for the widget library:

<inherits name="org.gwtwidgets.WidgetLibrary" />

Answer 2

After a review of GWT widgets, we are focusing on

SmartGWT

Ext-GWT

with Ext-GWT looking like the final candidate.

Answer 3

I looked at mainly three GWT component libraries:

• GWT-Ext : http://gwt-ext.com/
• Ext-GWT : http://extjs.com/
• SmartGWT : http://code.google.com/p/smartgwt/ (google code page with links)

In terms of widgets these libraries seem to be quite similar, but of course the underlying API is different. All three of these libraries are based on existing JavaScript component libraries: Ext JS for GWT-Ext and Ext-GWT, and SmartClient for SmartGWT. Hence, I think you can say that these libraries are GWT wrappers around existing JavaScript libraries.

For me the main factor for making a choice for one of these libraries is not the underlying technology but their licensing model. GWT-Ext seems to be a solid and popular component library, however it has a lock-in on Ext JS 2.0.2 which was the last version of Ext JS under LGPL. Newer versions of the Ext JS library are either available under GPL or a commercial license. Ext-GWT comes from the developer of Ext JS and follows the same dual licensing option. SmartGWT is available under both LGPL and a commercial license. If you do not mind a commercial license then Ext-GWT and SmartGWT may both the viable alternatives in terms of licensing. Otherwise SmartGWT using LGPL seems more attractive to me.

In terms of available widgets GWT-Ext is/was ahead of SmartGWT, but SmartGWT seems to be catching up fast. In terms of coding I prefer SmartGWT. I have no experience with Ext-GWT so I cannot tell.