After searching for some time I have finally started a hosting account with a Tomcat + Java provider that will allow for GWT Java hosting.
Mochahost offers Tomcat hosting at different levels depending on your needs. I have setup my account using their JSP/Tomcat hosting from $2.95/month. For the types of GWT applications that I would like to host these are some of the key items I need:
- Ability to restart Tomcat instance. This is necessary when you add shared libraries or if you make any changes to your Tomcat configuration files.
- Ability to also host a database. Mochahost offers unlimited MySQL databases with this plan. You can modify the Tomcat context.xml file and add any JDBC resources that your application requires.
- Complete control over my Tomcat instance including, selection of the Tomcat version I want to run, ability to map any domain name to my Tomcat instance, and the ability to define the JVM for my tomcat instance.
I really love the NGASI AppServer Manager. This is the tool that you use to select your JVM version, Tomcat Version, and map your entire domain to Tomcat or you can use path mapping.
To keep things simple I have chosen to do a complete domain wildcard mapping. Now I can deploy individual GWT apps under gwt.mynumnum.com/* and they will be available without any additional mapping needed. My Tomcat instance is available at http://gwt.mynumnum.com where I can login to Tomcat and use the Tomcat deplorer to deploy my GWT war file. Once the application is deployed it is available on the web.
What can you do with Tomcat Hosting and GWT?
Currently I only have one application deployed. My application is an Eight Queens solution. My GWT application is here: http://gwt.mynumnum.com/EightQueens
The application is still very rough around the edges, and I will continue to makes changes. Basically it uses the same java code on the client and server to demonstrate that Java code can be compiled un-modified and run either in your browser or on a Tomcat server. Just for fun it also tracks how long your browser takes to complete all 92 solutions to the puzzle. You can display last 10 runs or top 10 runs based on Javascript speed. Google Chrome is currently the leader due to its super fast Javascript engine.
