I got an question about if it was possible to make some actions in a web application to call an IIS server and to implement the functionality in C#. To this question I had to answer yes but I also wanted to add some of the implications that I see to do this, since every other functionality is written in Java. Here is my response.
Even if I think that it is possible to do a thing like that, I would be hesitated to do it in a project of this size. The question I would like to have an answer to before I make a decision about this is the long term goal for the project and then you have at least three outcomes regarding language, only Java, only .Net or a mix with both Java and .Net. I will put down some of the drawbacks and benefits that I see for all three outcomes bellow.
Only Java
The biggest benefit I see from this is that it is the way the projectis done now. You have a few components that needs maintenance and it is already accepted by the client. One off the biggest drawbacks I see about this option is that if the client does not have good knowledge about java and the application server the client needs to get that knowledge from somewhere, but I guess that that should already be in progress since they have accepted this solution in the first place.
Only .Net
The biggest benefit I can see here is if the client have a good knowledge about the Microsoft stack and can do more of the maintenance by himself. One of the drawbacks is that the current implementation needs to be ported to .Net and an other one is that there need to be maintenance on both the java application server and a Microsoft stack until all Java code is migrated to .Net.
Mix of Java & .Net
One benefit of this solution is that if there is shortage of developers in one technology maybe there is some one in the other technology that can do the stuff that needs, but as I see it you can gain in the short term but in the long term it is the same. This I would say is the least maintainable solution since there is need to maintain the java application server and and Microsoft stack. An other drawback is that there is need of developers that knows both java and .Net to maintain and to add functionality.
