[Zope] Where is zope best practice?

Dylan Reinhardt zope@dylanreinhardt.com
Sun, 09 Mar 2003 23:19:41 -0800


At 06:45 PM 3/9/2003, Heri wrote:
>I'm currently looking to the best way to develop zope application/products.

Aren't we all... welcome to the search!

>I've been searching throughout the website and I couldn't find any 
>documentation of the 'best practice' on developing a zope products.

There are a number of good overviews of this subject.

A great overview of Zope: 
http://www.dieter.handshake.de/pyprojects/zope/book/book.html
The classic introduction to products: 
http://www.zope.org/Members/gtk/Boring/HowTo-Boring
The nuts and bolts of products: 
http://www.zope.org/Documentation/Books/ZDG/current/index_html

If you've got Python under your belt, there's nothing better than looking 
at a bunch of core products to see how they work.

>But with little documentation, best practices and tools, I think, Zope 
>won't be much helpful to me in building rapid and robust application.

Once you develop facility with Zope, you won't need the docs that 
much.  Unlike JSP, it's actually possible to keep most of this in your head 
once you understand it.  And it's a lot easier to find the right docs when 
you know enough about Zope to know what things are called.

>In Java, if one develops an application using JSP (Java Server Page), one 
>can use some types of framework such as Struts, Tapestry. Or s/he may uses 
>JSP itself.

It may help to think of Zope as an web application framework for 
Python.  Or it might not.  :-)

>There are also documented best practice in developing this JSP application 
>such as pattern to be used and how you separate presentation, business 
>logic and data.

Here's some best practices:

1. Use Python scripts, external methods and Python products to implement 
business logic
2. Use ZPT or DTML to implement presentation.
3. Use ZODB or an external RDBMS for data.

Read up a bit on how these pieces interact and you'll be creating stuff in 
no time.

> From so many tools, documentation, I am still in favour of developing a 
> large application using JAVA instead of Zope or Python.

Once you get to know Zope better, you may change your mind.

>I'm still keen to know zope further.
>Can someone help me to find out the best practice in developing Zope Products?

Take a look at the links I provided, try building something for practice 
and let us know if you have any questions.

HTH,

Dylan