BootsFaces vs PrimeFaces: What are the differences?

Introduction

In this Markdown code, we will discuss the key differences between BootsFaces and PrimeFaces, two popular libraries for building user interfaces in Java web applications.

1. Component Variety: BootsFaces provides a limited set of UI components compared to PrimeFaces. While PrimeFaces offers a wide range of ready-to-use components like calendars, data tables, and charts, BootsFaces focuses more on providing enhanced versions of standard HTML components.

2. Integration with Bootstrap: Both BootsFaces and PrimeFaces are built on top of the Bootstrap CSS framework, but they handle its integration differently. BootsFaces seamlessly integrates with Bootstrap, allowing developers to use Bootstrap classes and themes without any additional configuration. On the other hand, PrimeFaces provides its own set of component styling and theming, requiring developers to learn and use PrimeFaces-specific CSS classes.

3. JSF Version Compatibility: BootsFaces supports the latest versions of JSF and is often updated to maintain compatibility. PrimeFaces, on the other hand, may require additional configuration or updates to work with the latest JSF version. This compatibility aspect may influence the choice of the library based on the specific JSF version requirements of the project.

4. Client-Side Validation: PrimeFaces offers in-built client-side validation for its components, reducing the need for server-side round-trips. BootsFaces, on the other hand, relies solely on server-side validation. This can impact the overall performance of the application and the developer experience while handling form submissions.

5. Ajax Functionality: PrimeFaces provides extensive support for Ajax-based interactions, allowing developers to update specific parts of the UI without refreshing the entire page. BootsFaces has limited built-in support for Ajax, requiring developers to manually handle Ajax requests and updates in their code.

6. Community and Support: PrimeFaces has a larger and more active community compared to BootsFaces. This community-driven support can be beneficial when seeking help, finding examples, or getting updates on bug fixes and new features. BootsFaces, on the other hand, has a smaller community and may have a slower response time for issue resolution or community support.

In summary, BootsFaces and PrimeFaces differ in terms of component variety, Bootstrap integration, JSF version compatibility, client-side validation, Ajax functionality, and community and support. These differences should be taken into consideration while choosing the appropriate library for a Java web application.