Introducing Orbeon XForms in 2008

My criticism of XForms written in 2006 is outdated. In my new series of posts, you can recognize my efforts to prove my old arguments wrong. Basically, there are three fundamental issues to be resolved:

1. Web browsers do not support XForms

2. There is no shrink-wrapped solution handling the server side of the equation

3. XForms are too complicated for the average developer

And this is the roadmap to address them:

1. The server side implementations of XForms are now mature enough to eliminate the need for XForms support in the browser. Although XForms plugins may be applied in closed environments, the open internet can be served with the current AJAX-based technology.

2. At least one of the server side implementations - Orbeon - has evolved into a full stack framework. In addition to XForms, it offers a native XML Pipeline mechanism to handle requests and integrates Exist Native XML Database (NXD) as storage back end right out of the box.

3. To get an average developer up and running with XForms, requires a complete and thorough explanation of key XML technologies. In order to create a powerful XForm, you are better off being an expert in XPath than just knowing XForms notation itself. Similarly, half of your success is in the design of the data format of the document being edited.

To be honest, the Orbeon implementation is far from perfect. For example, it heavily depends on JavaScript / AJAX libraries  (in fact the worst possible choice: DOJO) and does not offer graceful degradation (yet). Nevertheless, it is the framework of choice during the first few parts of XML tutorials, because of its user friendliness and full-stack integration.

Summarizing: the upcoming posts prove the old criticism wrong by introducing a full stack XML framework running on the server side and explaining all XML technologies needed for the solution.

And again: stay tuned! Which means: install an RSS reader or use an online version! ;-)