Application flow is inherently a diagram. While XML is a perfectly suitable format for storing the flow definition, XML is not adequate for visualizing or authoring flows. The biggest advantage of using Skyway Builder’s Flow editor is that you can visually model the flow of the application. A visual representation of a flow is a better medium for developing, understanding, and communicating a flow. The flow of an application is almost always visualized as a series of nodes, representing views, and lines connecting the nodes. This is exactly the visualization provided by Skyway Builder’s flow editor.The placement of the web flow elements in the diagram is completely managed by the developer, and the the positions are maintained between edits.
The editor has a palette of Spring Web Flow elements that can dropped onto the current web flow diagram. There's no need to learn Spring Web Flow XML schema. The emphasis is to streamline the development of flows, and elements can configured directly from diagram. There's no need for pop-up windows and no requirement to switch to property editors.
The web flow diagram and web flow definition (xml) are automatically kept in sync. You can maintain the web flow from either the diagram or xml, and the other will automatically be updated.
Content assist makes it easy to configure web flow elements and reduces errors.
Spring components that are used from the flow are referenced in the diagram. This helps the developer visualize dependencies and provides additional context when maintaining the flow.
Other Features
Feature: Spring Web Flow
