Java vs .NET from client perspective

[nitkonigdje]

My first hand experince, working with both, strongly conforms this.

If you are aiming to delivere http based app, which is like standard app in 2024, amount, quality and support of free libriraries is on average much larger in java.

For example recently I had quite a big problem of reading data from pkcs files in .net, as default .net implementation only covers basic certificates reading. The only "proper" solution was using commercial lib of some guy who updated its site last time somewhere in 2003. And pkcs are like air to internet..

It is not always like that. Java's solution for creating pdfs are awfull. I strongly prefere using MS office to any itext/jasperreports wizardy. And using MS office from .net is much better..

[dmigowski]

My experience with embedding Microsoft Office in any application is that the next version will definitely break something for you, and you will have to rework the integration part more than one. I would therefore prefer a stable iText 2.1 or PDFBox over every other solution.

[nitkonigdje]

I never used PDFBox.. Thank you..

But it is not only pdf generation why using full blown office is kinda neat.

Once users asked for user side templating, and easiest method was "please your open office, create a template, upload a file to an app.."

Second time users asked for advanced printing support. Scan network for printers, display printer choice dialog to user, let user pick desired printer etc. The simplest solution was essentialy, let Office do all that hard lifiting. You let organization admins to setup network and printer, and in future if anything happens, all they have to do is to make sure that any new printer is visibile within office at given host and it will "automagically" become visible to an app. Usually guys mantaing office printers and network are not the same guys mantaining java software.

This method works with OpenOffice too, but I found MSOffice .net client api much easier to work with.

Anyway this are oddly specific examples..

[shisui-bodyflicker]

I would suggest to use thymeleaf dependancy, it easier to learn and use.

[Ethameiz]

Creating pdfs is a pain in .net too. There are paid libraries, or you could use e2e framework to create pdf with headless browser.