vaadin-framework/documentation/articles/GettingStartedOnNetBeans.asciidoc

---
title: Getting Started On NetBeans
order: 76
layout: page
---

[[getting-started-on-netbeans]]
= Getting started on NetBeans

*This page is for old NetBeans version. Take a look at
http://wiki.netbeans.org/VaadinPlugin1.0.0[New plugin in NetBeans wiki]*

[[your-first-project-with-vaadin-in-netbeans-ide-6.7]]
Your First Project with Vaadin in NetBeans IDE 6.7
--------------------------------------------------

Eclipse users have access to the http://vaadin.com/eclipse[Vaadin Eclipse
plugin] which
is probably the easiest way to get started with the Vaadin framework. But
if you preferNetBeans IDE, this is the article for you. And don't worry,
it's almost as easy to get started with NetBeans also.

This tutorial assumes you have downloaded and installed a bundle of
http://www.netbeans.org[NetBeans 6.7] that
includes the Apache Tomcat server (the "Java Web & EE" support) and you
have the latest
http://vaadin.com/download[Vaadin] JAR
package at hand.

[[creating-the-project]]
Creating the Project
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

image:img/netbeans_new_project.png[NetBeans new project]

Launch your NetBeans IDE and perform the following steps to create a new
web project.

* Select `File -> New Project` to open the New Project dialog
window.
* Select `Java Web` from the categories and `Web Application`
from the project selection and click `Next` to proceed.
* Type in a name and location for your project (I use `HelloVaadin` as
the name and my default project folder) and click `Next`.
* Select the `Apache Tomcat 6.0.18` server and type in preferred
context path or use the default (the project name). The context path
will define the URL of your application (for example
`http://localhost:8084/HelloVaadin`). Click `Finish` to create the
project.
* You can close and ignore the index.jsp, which is opened to the editor
by default after the project has been created.

[[importing-vaadin-libraries]]
Importing Vaadin Libraries
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next you need to import the Vaadin library JAR package to the project
you just created.

* Right-click the `Libraries` node on your project and select `Add
JAR/Folder...`.
* Locate your copy of the Vaadin JAR file in the opening file dialog and
click `Open`.
* Now you should see the JAR file under the Libraries node.

[[writing-the-code]]
Writing the Code
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next we create the application class for our simple example application.

* Select `New -> Java Class` on your project to open the New Java
Class dialog.
* Type in your a name and package for your class (I use a class name of
`HelloVaadin` and a package `com.vaadin.netbeans.tutorial`).
* Select `Finish` to create the Java class.

This class will be the main application class of our Vaadin
application.Therefore it must extend the abstract
`com.vaadin.Application` class and implement the `init()` method.

Type in or copy-paste the following code to the newly created file:

[source,java]
....
package com.vaadin.netbeans.tutorial;

import com.vaadin.Application;
import com.vaadin.ui.*;

public class HelloVaadin extends Application {
  @Override
  public void init() {
    Window mainWindow = new Window("HelloVaadin");
    Label label = new Label("Hello Vaadin user");
    mainWindow.addComponent(label);
    setMainWindow(mainWindow);
  }
}
....

[[defining-deployment-descriptor]]
Defining Deployment Descriptor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To run your application you must define a deployment descriptor for it.
Open `Web Pages -> WEB-INF -> web.xml` file on your project. By
default the file is opened in a graphical editor but you can select the
XML tab to edit the XML file directly. Type in or copy-paste the
following to the contents of the file.

[source,xml]
....
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<web-app version="2.5"
   xmlns="http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/javaee"
   xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
   xsi:schemaLocation="http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/javaee http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/javaee/web-app_2_5.xsd">
  <display-name>HelloVaadin</display-name>
  <context-param>
    <param-name>productionMode</param-name>
    <param-value>false</param-value>
    <description>Vaadin production mode</description>
  </context-param>

  <servlet>
    <servlet-name>HelloVaadin</servlet-name>
    <servlet-class>com.vaadin.terminal.gwt.server.ApplicationServlet</servlet-class>
    <init-param>
      <param-name>application</param-name>
      <param-value>com.vaadin.netbeans.tutorial.HelloVaadin</param-value>
      <description>Vaadin application class to start</description>
    </init-param>
  </servlet>

  <servlet-mapping>
    <servlet-name>HelloVaadin</servlet-name>
    <url-pattern>/*</url-pattern>
  </servlet-mapping>
</web-app>
....

[[running-your-application]]
Running Your Application
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now we can run (or debug) the application by simply selecting `Run ->
Run Main Project` (or `Run -> Debug Main Project`).This starts the
Apache Tomcat server and opens up your application in your default
browser.

image:img/netbeans_hello_vaadin.png[NetBeans "Hello Vaadin"]

[[what-next]]
What Next?
~~~~~~~~~~

Now that you have your environment setup, you probably want to explore
more of the features of the Vaadin framework. I would suggest that
you head to the http://vaadin.com/tutorial[Vaadin tutorial].
Have fun with Vaadin!

[[update]]
Update
~~~~~~

* http://vaadin.com/netbeans[Vaadin Plugin for NetBeans 6.8]