From 739cde3383f83824e7c53386a04bcc1e143d7b3e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Rossen Stoyanchev Date: Fri, 6 Jan 2012 16:04:03 -0500 Subject: [PATCH] Update README.md --- README.md | 51 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++- 1 file changed, 50 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index c01c2861..5e206f53 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -1,3 +1,52 @@ ## Spring Web Flow -TODO... +Spring Web Flow facilitates building web applications with guided navigation use cases such as a shopping cart, flight check-in, a loan application, and many others. In contrast to stateless, free-form navigation that's naturally suited to the web, what these use cases have in common is a clear start and end point, one or more screens to go through in some pre-defined order, and a set of changes that are not finalized until the end point. + +A key element of the framework is the ability to define a flow definition consisting of states, transitions, and data. View states for example represent the individual screens of a flow while transitions are caused by events resulting from the click of a button or a link. Data may be stored in scopes such as flash, view, flow, and others where scoped data is automatically cleared when a view state or a flow definition is exited. + +In REST terms a flow represents as a single resource. The same URL that is used to start the flow is also used to go through all remaining steps of the flow, along with an execution key that uniquely identifies the current flow instance. As a result individual views remain shielded from the details of navigation and simply point to the flow URL. + +Some of the benefits of using Spring Web Flow: ++ A flow abstraction to model "long conversations" in a web application ++ Well encapsulated navigation rules ++ Multiple scopes in which to store data without having to remove it explicitly ++ Built-in use of POST/REDIRECT/GET pattern to avoid browser warnings ++ Not possible to return to a completed flow session via back button ++ Rapid prototyping of flow definitions with changes picked up on the fly in development mode ++ Flow definition vizualization ++ and much more... + +### Downloading artifacts + +Instructions on [downloading Spring Web Flow](https://github.com/SpringSource/spring-webflow/wiki/Downloading-Spring-Web-Flow-Artifacts) artifacts via Maven and other build systems are available via the project wiki. + +### Documentation + +See the current [Javadoc](http://static.springsource.org/spring-webflow/docs/current/javadoc-api/) and [Reference](http://static.springsource.org/spring-webflow/docs/current/spring-webflow-reference/) docs. + +### Samples + +The `./spring-webflow-samples/` sub-directory contains several samples that can be built with Maven. More samples can be found in the spring-samples repository: [webflow-showcase](https://src.springframework.org/svn/spring-samples/webflow-showcase) and [webflow-primefaces-showcase](https://src.springframework.org/svn/spring-samples/webflow-primefaces-showcase). + +### Getting support + +Check out the [Spring forums](http://forum.springsource.org/forumdisplay.php?36-Web-Flow) and the [spring-webflow tag](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/spring-webflow) on StackOverflow. [Commercial support](http://springsource.com/support/springsupport) is available too. + +### Issue Tracking + +Spring Web Flow's JIRA issue tracker can be found [here](http://jira.springsource.org/browse/SWF). If you think you've found a bug, please consider submitting a reproduction project via the [spring-webflow-issues](https://github.com/springsource/spring-webflow-issues) repository. The readme provides simple step-by-step instructions. + +### Building from source + +Instructions on [building Spring Web Flow](https://github.com/SpringSource/spring-webflow/wiki/Building-From-Source) from source are available via the project wiki. + +### Contributing + +[Pull requests](http://help.github.com/send-pull-requests) are welcome; you'll be asked to sign our contributor license agreement ([CLA](https://support.springsource.com/spring_committer_signup)). Trivial changes like typo fixes are especially appreciated (just [fork and edit](https://github.com/blog/844-forking-with-the-edit-button)!). For larger changes, please search through JIRA for similiar issues, creating a new one if necessary, and discuss your ideas with the Spring Web Flow team. + +### License + +Spring Web Flow is released under version 2.0 of the [Apache License](http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0). + + +