Developing and Learning Web Services with Open Source Software: An Experience Report

Matthew W. ReedBenjamin A. Balogh

David C. MillerChia-Chu Chiang

Department of Computer ScienceUniversity of Arkansas at Little Rock

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Outline of the Talk

1. Introduction

2. Project Overview

3. Student Backgrounds

4. Leadership Roles

5. Project Management Plan

6. Project Development Process

7. Technological Hurdles

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Outline of the Talk (Cont.)

8. Open Source Software

9. Scheduling Difficulties

10. Lessons Learned

11. Conclusion

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1. Introduction

Present the experiences of undergraduate students developing and learning web services with open source software

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2. Project Overview

Develop a prototype of a telephone directory web service

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3. Student Backgrounds

Junior- and senior-level undergraduate students

Completed the course prerequisites C/C++ Programming Data Structures and Algorithms File Structures Database Design

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3. Student Backgrounds (Cont.)

No experience with Java No experience with web services Limited exposure to team-based software

development Not claimed as professional programmers

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4. Leadership Roles

A hierarchical structure assumed The only student with experience in a team-

based development environment lead during the Project Management Planning and Requirements and Specification Phases

Other students alternate lead role in the remaining development phases

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5. Project Management Plan

Waterfall Model used Product built with reusable, open-source

tools Uncertainty and discomfort with Java and

the concept of web services

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6. Project Development Process

Phase I: Requirements and Specification Most difficult phase of project

Understanding the product to be developed Locating open source tools for development and

deployment Final version of specifications document was

not completed until after implementation phase

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6. Project Development Process (Cont.)

Phase II: Design Deadline extended a week beyond project plan

Difficulties understanding web service structure Learning how the client and server sides interact

Resulted in reduction of time frames for implementation and testing phases

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6. Project Development Process (Cont.)

Phase III: Implementation Teams’ inexperience caused not only difficulty

but total confusion Distributing code to teammates proved difficult Brought in an IBM WebSphere consultant to assist

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6. Project Development Process (Cont.)

Phase IV: Testing Smoothest and most trouble-free phase

Deadline pressure forced the team into a “divide and conquer” mentality

Used open source software to test the performance of the product

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7. Technological Hurdles

Ignorance of the design and programming needed to complete the project

Installation and configuration issues with the open source software needed to develop and implement the web service

Hosting server configuration issues based on applications already installed

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8. Open Source Software

Advantages Low Cost Highly Flexible Reliable Reduced Development Risks

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8. Open Source Software (Cont.)

Risks Limited Support High Technological Knowledge Needed Difficult to Choose among Options Uncertainty

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9. Scheduling Difficulties

Considerable deviation from the planned project schedule Design went more than a week past schedule Implementation completed a mere six days

before the project’s deadline Testing Phase cut by nearly two weeks Final version of Specification and Design

documents was not submitted until after implementation was completed.

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10. Lessons Learned

Workload were heavy on some particular team member Initial Project Plan Coding

Expect to have a more thorough and detailed education in web services development

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10. Lessons Learned (Cont.)

Practical issues with the open source software for developing web services

Students left with a feeling of completion when the project is done

The project as a good contender for a senior-level capstone course

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11. Conclusion

Intense, self-directed style of learning overwhelmed the students.

Steep learning curve Students satisfied with experience gained

through an intense and thorough education in software engineering

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11. Conclusion (Cont.)

Pride in the final product Reported that never learned more from any

other single course in computer science Highly recommend the course to other

undergraduates