What is RAP?

The Eclipse Rich Ajax Platform (RAP) allows developers to web-enable Java applications with Ajax technology - from a single code base.

RAP maximizes code reuse by including the largest-possible web-enabled subset of the Rich Client Platform (Eclipse's technology on the desktop). In addition, RAP enables experienced Java and Eclipse developers to apply their existing skills to web development by using the Eclipse development model for web-clients.

The RAP project is an eclipse.org project created and led by the RAP team at Innoopract.

Why RAP

Single-sourcing RCP Desktop and Web Applications

The Rich AJAX Platform (RAP) enables the development of desktop client and  web clients simultaneously from a single code base.  RAP is built on the same Eclipse technology as RCP, and provides AJAX implicitly from RAP's library of Java technology components. This significantly reduces the development effort for applications with desktop and web requirements.

Eclipse developers are up to speed in web development quickly

RAP uses the Eclipse development model, the plug-in system, the Eclipse workbench concept and the Java-only API, and can also be used independently of RCP.  Developers with Eclipse experience and especially with RCP experience will get up to speed with RAP quickly.

RAP enables reuse

RAP maximizes reuse of both code and development tools by providing the largest possible web-enabled subset of the RCP APIs .   During a migration phase the user interfaces of existing RCP applications can be adapted to RAP, but the application core, the content- and label-provider as well as multi-user core plug-ins can remain in use unchanged.

RAP works on all popular browsers

RAP's rendering model enables your application to work on all popular browsers, reducing the overhead of developing for various browsers.  The framework automatically and transparently aligns to the characteristics and  security settings of different browsers.

RAP Demos

RAP (RCP) Mail Demo

This example shows the well known RCP Mail template application converted to RAP. This application is available as a RAP template as part of the download from the tooling update site (see downloads).

RAP Workbench Demo

This application shows a simple project management system, that is built on top of RAP. Though it is not meant to be production ready it shows the framework's possibilities. To demonstrate NLS support, translations for English, German and Chinese are available.   Note:  the example data will be reset regularly.

Yoxos OnDemand
Free Eclipse configuration

Access the entire eclipse.org portfolio plus a large selection of the most important open-source plug-ins, tested for compatibility and consistency.

Screencasts

Getting started screencasts

Check out these RAP community screencasts for a look at getting started with RAP -

RAP and Eclipse

A brief look under the hood

RAP applications are very similar to Eclipse RCP applications, but instead of being executed on a desktop computer they are run on a webserver and clients access them with standard browsers. This is achieved by providing an implementation of SWT that is able to run on a webserver.  RAP provides a subset of the SWT, JFace and Workbench APIs.

Find out more about the Eclipse RAP project on eclipse.org/rap

• Review the RAP Development Plans
• Read the New & Noteworthy pages from RAP releases
• Participate in the Eclipse.org RAP Newsgroup