[Tutorial] Groovy and Grails Part 1 – Introduction

What is Groovy? What is Grails? For those who don’t know about Groovy and Grails, you are lucky because i’m about to explain Groovy and Grails and how powerful they are in Web Application Technology. Also i will give you some example to help you to understand and start using it!

What is Groovy?


Groovy is a relatively new dynamic language that can either be interpreted or compiled
and is designed specifically for the Java platform.” (Beginning Groovy and Grails From Novice To Professional Apress).
Groovy also builds upon the strengths of Java but has additional power features inspired by languages like Python, Ruby and Smalltalk.

What isĀ Grails?

Grails is an open source web framework for the Java platform either use java or groovy as languages , also a complete development platform to build web application. Grails is an MVC framework bxut not like other MVC java framework, Grails domain classes are automatically persist-able and can even generate the underlying database schema. Because Grails are designed for Groovy and Java, then it’s easier for other java developer to integrate with other Java open source framework like maven, GWT (Google Web Toolkit), XMLRPC, etc..

Grails Feature:

  • Convention Over Configuration
  • Unit Testing
  • Scaffolding
  • Object Relational Mapping
  • Plug-Ins


Because Grails also bundled and integrated with other Java Open Source like:

  • Groovy
  • Spring Framework
  • Hibernate
  • SiteMesh
  • Ajax Framework
  • Jetty
  • HSQLDB
  • JUnit

With power of Java plus open source java framework with great community support, so what are you waiting for?