UI Widgets… oh for something pure Grails

I feel like there is a mismatch in the grails/rails opinionated software approach and the apparent lack of a de facto and impressive UI library for javascript based web-apps built with these frameworks.

Sure, Grails has more than its fair share of UI plugins. However they all pull in other libraries, and frankly not even Yahoo UI stuff looks good enough to me. Libs such as YUI are supposed to be skinnable but the docs on actually creating skins are non-existent.

Even without those issues, you have the thorny problem that choosing a UI widget library usually dictates what JS/DOM helper library your application will use. This is infuriating if say you have an investment and passion for library X (eg Prototype) but the best UI widgets use a different underlying library.

Mixing and matching libraries in the same app is extremely unattractive. Download times become a factor as do compatibility (what if you need to use two in the same page) and last but not least your dev teams have to be fluent in more than one API.

There has to be a better way. I personally feel that out of the box one library should be chosen, and there should be great home-grown widgets. Let’s be opinionated but have something top quality out of the box.

I mean, Grails enthusiasts like me will happily point out how Rails is not on par in terms of available libraries and enterprise infrastructure stuff, and gloat at the apparent inability to create apps that don’t leak memory and hence need many restarts – but you have to admit that a great deal of Rails sites have good widgets, and good clear designs. I believe most of these are home-spun from Prototype+Scriptaculous and cunning use of CSS.

Our Javaland/Grailsland equivalents tend to reuse the standard square tables and buttons and tiny fonts so familiar to Windows users, but anathema to people who have made the switch to Mac.

This is unfortunately what you get when people are knocking together joyless enterprise Java apps and the key thing is to get something work NOW – rather than create something that is a pleasure to use. The latter is something that the smarter businesses in the Rails crowd know all about (see the excellent Harvest, Co-op, Beanstalk or Radiant), and from which all developers, Java enterprise or otherwise, can learn. Its not OK to scrimp on the UI. Who cares if your manager doesn’t get it. Take pride in UI!

Call me a snob but universally silver, sharp-edged and small fonted UIs are aesthetically offensive to me!