Originally posted by chinedu efoagui:
spring webflow is out .
my question is how do i apply this workflow-like way of navigating through your web application ?
and what is the difference between free browsing and controlled browsing?
i would like a discussion on it
Free browsing is how most web sites work. You are presented with a page that has many links, any of which you may choose. You are in full control of where you go next.
Controlled browsing, on the other hand, tried to guide you from one page to the next. You are still in control, but you're being led by the application. A classic example of controlled browsing is found in a typical e-commerce checkout. When checking out, you are typically led by the application from one step to the next. First you enter your shipping address, then your billing and credit card info, then any other special instructions, and finally you are greeted with a confirmation page.
It's important to keep in mind that it's not an either/or decision. You can use traditional Spring MVC to implement the free browsing portion of a site and then use Spring WebFlow to guide the user through specific steps (such as checkout or registration).