vaadin-framework/documentation/gwt/gwt-vaadin-6-migration.asciidoc

---
title: Migrating from Vaadin 6
order: 12
layout: page
---

[[gwt.vaadin-6-migration]]
= Migrating from Vaadin 6

((("Vaadin 6 Migration", "add-ons", id="term.gwt.vaadin-6-migration", range="startofrange")))


The client-side architecture was redesigned almost entirely in Vaadin 7. In
Vaadin 6, state synchronization was done explicitly by serializing and
deserializing the state on the server- and client-side. In Vaadin 7, the
serialization is handled automatically by the framework using state objects.

In Vaadin 6, a server-side component serialized its state to the client-side
using the [interfacename]#Paintable# interface in the client-side and
deserialized the state through the [interfacename]#VariableOwner# interface. In
Vaadin 7, these are done through the [interfacename]#ClientConnector# interface.

On the client-side, a widget deserialized its state through the
[interfacename]#Paintable# interface and sent state changes through the
[interfacename]#ApplicationConnection# object. In Vaadin 7, these are replaced
with the [interfacename]#ServerConnector#.

In addition to state synchronization, Vaadin 7 has an RPC mechanism that can be
used for communicating events. They are especially useful for events that are
not associated with a state change, such as a button click.

The framework ensures that the connector hierarchy and states are up-to-date
when listeners are called.

[[gwt.vaadin-6-migration.quick]]
== Quick (and Dirty) Migration

Vaadin 7 has a compatibility layer that allows quick conversion of a widget.

. Create a connector class, such as [classname]#MyConnector#, that extends
[classname]#LegacyConnector#. Implement the [methodname]#getWidget()# method.

. Move the [literal]#++@ClientWidget(MyWidget.class)++# from the server-side
component, say [classname]#MyComponent#, to the [classname]#MyConnector# class
and make it [literal]#++@Connect(MyComponent.class)++#.

. Have the server-side component implement the LegacyComponent interface to enable
compatibility handling.

. Remove any calls to [literal]#++super.paintContent()++#

. Update any imports on the client-side



(((range="endofrange", startref="term.gwt.vaadin-6-migration")))