ICEFaces is a JSF component library that adds a unique approach to AJAX: it renders a DOM (Document Object Model) on the serverside, and delivers changes to that DOM to a client via AJAX push. What this means is that data can be updated from one client, and the updates can be reflected almost immediately – with no client intervention – on other clients.

The ICEFaces component suite is fairly complete, including updates to the "normal" JSF components to use AJAX and a few other capabilities. For example, the inputText component, which renders , is now aware of user roles, and can participate in partial submits (so that the server gets data as its entered, rather than waiting until a full page submit is executed.)

The component suite also adds styling, a menu bar, a connection status widget, effects (I.e., highlights, pulses, fades), a progress bar, a file upload widget, charts, and a capable set of panels.

However, all this comes at a price: ICEFaces works with JSF 1.2, but its Java EE support is not complete. This tutorial shows how to deploy ICEFaces in a Java EE container, and how to retain the ease of develoent and deployment that EJB 3 gives you – even without EJB3.