Ajax4jsf
| Company type | Open source software project |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software development |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Founder | Alexander Smirnov |
| Fate | Merged into RichFaces project |
| Products | Ajax framework for JavaServer Faces (JSF) |
Ajax4jsf was an open source framework designed to introduce Ajax functionality into the JavaServer Faces (JSF) web application framework. As one of the early entrants in the JSF ecosystem, it notably supported the relatively rare feature of skinning.
Currently, Ajax4jsf is completely incorporated within the RichFaces project.
History
Alexander Smirnov developed Ajax4jsf in early 2005 by combining the then-emerging Ajax technology with JSF to facilitate easier integration of Ajax in JSF applications. Originally released under the name Telamon on SourceForge.net, Smirnov joined Exadel later that year to advance its development. The initial version was launched in March 2006 as a component of the Exadel Visual Component Platform (VCP). Subsequently, the project divided into two parts: Ajax4jsf and RichFaces. RichFaces focused on a "component-centric" Ajax model, whereas Ajax4jsf emphasized a "page-oriented" Ajax strategy, allowing developers to define server-side processing and client-side updates for specific page areas.
Ajax4jsf transitioned to an open source model on Java.net, while RichFaces continued as a proprietary JSF component library. In March 2007, JBoss collaborated with Exadel to bring both frameworks under its umbrella, rebranding them as JBoss Ajax4jsf and JBoss RichFaces. This partnership also made RichFaces open source and freely available. By September 2007, both projects were consolidated under the RichFaces name to simplify licensing, version control, and ensure compatibility.
Although fully merged, the source code still retains the 'a4j' namespace identifier.