Here are my winners and, yes, even losers for the most and least innovative and/or impacting Java technologies in 2006…
Here are the winners:
Java IDE Platform/general Java Framework
* NetBeans IDE
Enterprise Java/Java EE Framework (front-to-back)
* Spring Framework 2
* JBoss Seam 1.x
Java EE app server
* GlassFish Java EE 5 app server
Persistence/ORM Engine/Framework
* Hibernate
Java Web Framework/API
* JavaServer Faces (JSF) and Ajax
* Hon mention: RIFE and Wicket
Dynamic Java Scripting Language/Framework
(Web tier alternative to Java Web Frameworks)
* Groovy/Grails Framework
* JRuby (on Rails)
* And special thanks goes to… Java SE 6 making scripting on the JVM
Java Web app server
* Apache Tomcat
Build Tool
* Apache Ant
Logging
* Apache Log4j
Testing Framework/tool
* TestNG
Mobile/Wireless Java app dev IDE/framework
* J2ME Polish
Most Potential
* JBoss Seam
* JRuby (on Rails)
* Java ME/Java Card/embedded Java (in general)
And here are the losers, some of which may becoming obsolete:
Java IDE Platform/general Java Framework
* Eclipse
Enterprise Java/Java EE Framework
* Eclipse Dali-JSF
* Eclipse WTP (JST-WST)
Java EE app server
* Apache Geronimo
Java Web Framework/API
* Struts 1.2.x (out with the old)
Dynamic Java Scripting Language/Framework
(Web tier alternative to Java Web Frameworks)
* Jython
Java Web app server
* Jetty
Based on original posting on Inside Java. What do you think? Please vote for yours as you see them in your day-to-day work, etc. below.