Introducing Domain Model Transport Framework

Introducing Domain Model Transportation Framework

POJO based persistence (e.g. Hibernate, EJB3.0 Persistence API) makes enterprise software architecture possible to have a well defined Domain Model which consists well modeled Domain logic. But for a particular client application (view), you just need part of the Domain Object graph, not the whole Domain Model.

Domain Model Transport Framework allows your client side bring back part of your domain model anyway you want.

Key features:

Selective Object transport: which related object need to be transported to client side, is configurable
Selective Object Attribute Transport: which object attribute need to be transported to client is configurable
Multiple transport schema configuration: For same object, you can define how to transport them to client as many ways as you want
Mix transportation protocols: In your object graph, your different object can have different serialization protocol. They can either implement java.io.serailizable (will be streamlized use default Serialization), or implement java.io.Externalizable with your own writeExternal(), readExternal() implementation, or have implement java.io.Externalizable with DMT version of writeExternal() and readExternal() implementation, or implements java.io.Externalizable with DMT version of writeExternal() and readExternal() combine with your own implementation.
It is fast: Even if you use DMT framework out of box, transport the whole object graph, the data size is significantly reduced - compare to default Java Serialization. The distribution contains a tools let compare the data size use DMT vs use Default Java Serialization.( See how to compare the data size to default java serialization).
Do not need create new class: You don't need create any new class to use this framework, all you need to do is provide a configuration file to specify how do you want to transport your object. There is a eclipse plugin makes your configuration very easy to do. You just need select the object/attributes you want to transport for your schema, then the configuration file is generated.
Total replacement to Data Transfer Object Pattern: Since you can select how to transfer your object in attribute level, you don't need DTO at all.
Reuse domain logic: Since what you get back to the client side is your domain model, your well defined domain logic is ready to reuse.
No Proxy generated or Class loading manipulation: Since most of the persistence tools use dynamic proxy, and some AOP use Class loading manipulation, we try to avoid that in case they cause conflict. There is no class loading or dynamic proxy conflict with the technology you used.
Does not interfere with your own Externalizable implementation: DMT use java externalizable mechanism, but it has the flexibility to allow you provide your own implementation (although you don't really want to do so)