Introduction to ColdFusion

Terry RyanDeveloper Evangelisthttp://terrenceryan.com@tpryan

Purpose

• Introduce ColdFusion• Explain why • Provide a foundation

Not for this guy

Agenda

• Basics of ColdFusion• Show off cool stuff• Point out how to go further

Introduction

ColdFusion is a web application server

It’s comparable to PHP, and ASP.NET

Why use ColdFusion over those others?

ColdFusion’s Advantage

• ColdFusion is easy and concise• ColdFusion has tons of

baked in functionality

ColdFusion often refers:Server

Language

Language

CFML• Tag based• Can do everything

CFScript• Script based• Can do most things

Demo

CFML vs CFScript

Language

CFML• View and UI

CFScript• Backend• Libraries• Data Access

Variables

• Loose Typing–String–Numeric–Date–Boolean

Demo

Typing

Variables - Structured

• Array• Struct• Query

Array

• Ordered list of items

• Sortable• Multi Dimensions

available

Struct

• Hashmap or Dictionary

• Not really sortable

Query

• Recordset or Iterator• Structured data from

database or other remote operation

• Sortable, loopable• Searchable with SQL

Demo

Database Querying

CFC’s

CFC’s are ColdFusion’s:ObjectLibrary

Webservice

Demo

CFC’s in Action

Scopes

Scopes

• Scopes are structs containing related variables–Origin–Persistence–Accessibility

Scopes

• URL– URL parameters

• Form– Form post values

• Request– The ent ire length of a s ingle request

• Session– Persist for one user’s session

• Application– Persist for al l sessions of al l users

• CGI– Environment variables from webserver

• Variables– Default scope

Demo

Scopes

Cool Stuff ColdFusion Does

Demo

Twitter Search

Features Demoed

• Feed Processing• List Processing• Custom Tags• PDF Creation• Excel Creation• Google Map Integration• Image Processing• Caching

Demo

Apptacular

Features Demoed

• ColdFusion Builder• ColdFusion Builder Extensions• Database Introscpection• ORM

Features not covered

• Exchange Integration

• SharePoint Integration

• Offi ce Integration– Word– PowerPoint

• Java Integration– Hibernate (ORM)– ehCache (Cache)– Solr (Search)

• .Net Integration

• UI tools– ExtJS

• JavaScript Integration

• Network Abilities– FTP– HTTP– IMAP– POP– SMTP– SMS– IMPP

Learn More

ColdFusion Week

Introduction to ColdFusion Components (CFCs)Monday, Sept. 12, 2011 4:00 P.M. Pacifi c

Developing Your First Application Using ColdFusion 9 and ORMThursday, September 15, 2011 10:00 AM US/Pacifi c

ColdFusion and Mobile - Browser-Based Applications Made EasyThursday, September 15, 2011 1:00 PM US/Pacifi c

Become ColdFusion Empowered in Under an Hour Thurs, September 15, 2011 4:00 PM US/Pacifi c

Adobe Developer Connection

http://www.adobe.com/devnet/coldfusion.html

CFWACK

• ColdFusion Web Application Construction Kit

ColdFusionBloggersColdFusionBloggers.org

ColdFusion Refcardz• ColdFusion– http://

refcardz.dzone.com/refcardz/getting-started-coldfusion-9

• ColdFusion Builder 2– http://

refcardz.dzone.com/refcardz/coldfusion-builder-2-faster

RIAForge

RIAForge.orgOpen Source repository for ColdFusion and other Adobe Products

Getting the bits

ColdFusion

• Developer version is free• http://www.adobe.com/go/

coldfusion

ColdFusion Builder

• Not free, but there is a free version

• http://www.adobe.com/go/cfbuilder

Conclusions

ColdFusion is easy and concise

ColdFusion is easy and concise

ColdFusion has tons of baked in functionality

Follow up?

• Feel free to contact me–terry.ryan@adobe.com–http://terrenceryan.com–Twitter: @tpryan