Lotus Notes Domino and Web: application development - tips for programmers

Beginning with Domino version R4 it has integrationsee only fields, all extern design is based on DHTML.
with the Web, and the server itself becomes aIt is not so bad. There are a lot of sites, supporting
HTTP-server. The next releases of Dominolarge number of users, accessing Domino data. Domino
Web-server add new functionality (for exampletechnology from release to release offers new
servlet managers, supported JVM versions upgrade,possibilities for Web-design (for ex. JSP custom tag
etc). To give you general picture and abstracting fromlibrary, inbuilt HTML-editor, etc). The author himself used
details we'll talk about two major Domino Web-serverDomino to create portals with requests with more than
functions:2000 visitors per a day. Summarizing the own and my
1. Domino Web-server is the full-featured HTTP-server.colleagues experience in Domino Web-design field, I
In other words, it can provide static (or conditionallycan recommend the following:
static) files as the reply to HTTP-browser's requests- Before creation of Web-project on Domino it is
(including HTML, image, JavaScript, applets, etc);necessary to evaluate the whole Domino
2. During the browser's requests to Domino dynamicinfrastructure in frame of concrete organization. If the
resources by specific URL, the server can create inDomino infrastructure at this company is on opening or
passing HTML-pages, making the Domino object visible.initial stage, than Web-design based on Domino is
For sure, it is reasonably simplified model (wehardly appropriated. The fact that Domino Designer is
mentioned that, for example, Domino Web-serverthe environment for rapid application development
supports servlet technology), but this model allows to(RAD), including Web- applications, can not be the
discuss the major issues in creation ofreason to create Web-projects on Domino;
Web-applications based on Lotus Domino technology.- as far as possible allowing to Domino transfer in
Following the major problems are:passing only objects, which can not be or hardly
- in Domino-based Web-applications creationimplemented by using other Web-technologies
developer is strongly limited to use built-in program(so-called HTML-design is to be developed by
languages' possibilities. Thus, from 380 inbuiltprogrammers). The author thinks that, if a site needs to
@-commands of @-formulas language nearly 40 areoperate with Domino data, then to view them it is
supported in Web. LotusScript is supported only innecessary to avoid the use of standard URL working
three types of Web-agents, etc;with Domino objects. In this case exchange of data
- application security problems. The standardbetween site and Domino can be done by using any
authentication, authorization, coding, digital signatures,integration technologies supported by Domino (ex.,
etc. mechanisms are simplified in Web or do not work.XML, CORBA, JDBC, etc). In other words, Domino will
So SSL + x.509, etc. certificates are to be used inplay a role of data storage and their viewing is to be
such cases;done by other mechanisms. Implicitly, the issue is
- applications efficiency. HTML-pages generation inconfirmed by IBM. In R6 Domino Don't allow URL open
passing surely takes the server resources, so if thefeature may be assigned to databases , so the usage
application is poorly constructed, it may cause theof standard URL Domino is protected in
server failure. For example, if the first page of the siteWeb-applications;
is generated by an agent, then concurrent request- attention needs to be paid to Web-application
from rather big number of users may cause thesecurity. Even when your site does not allow
service failure situation. Developers are to take carenon-authorized access to information via Internet, you
themselves for loading balance putting into differentcan expect hackers out there challenging your
parts often changed and more static data;web-site security;
- result of HTML-pages generation in passing from- only the tested by loading technologies are to used in
Domino resources is not every time obvious. OftenWeb-applications;
such a procedure issues appearance in generated- minimize as much as possible the traffic Web-server
page «additional» by developer point of viewbrowser. In Web-design the issue is to be considered
tags (for ex., , , , etc). As a consequence, mostthat Internet channels are usually narrower than local
developers put on Domino only those features whichchannels Domino Lotus.
can not implement themselves. If look through theGood luck in your system setting up and contact us
codes of full-blown Web-sites, designed on Dominofor any help in USA: 1-866-528-0577, Germany: (0177)
technology, then, for example, in Domino forms we8349 806!