High time to standardize Java EE converters?
A common task when developing Java EE applications is that of converting data. In JSF we convert objects to a string representation for rendering it inside an (HTML) response, and convert it back to an object after a postback. In JPA we convert objects from and to types known by our database, in JAX-RS we convert request parameters strings into objects etc etc. So given the pervasiveness of this task, is there any common converter type or mechanism in the Java EE platform? Unfortunately it appears such a common converter type is not there. While rather similar in nature, many specs in Java EE define their very own converter type. Below we take a look at the various converter types that are currently in use by the platform. JSF One of the earlier converter types in the Java EE platform is contributed by JSF. This converter type is able to convert from String to Object and the other way around. Because it pre-dates Java SE 5 it doesn't use a generic type parameter. While its...