JSP (JavaServer Pages) is a Java-based technology that allows developers to create dynamic web pages by embedding Java code in HTML pages. It's like PHP, but for Java developers who enjoy over-engineering their tech stack with enterprise-grade complexity.

How to use it in a sentence

1. The new hire was excited to work on the company's sprawling JSP (JavaServer Pages) codebase, until he realized it was originally written in 2003 and barely maintained since.

2. "I know JSP (JavaServer Pages) is a bit outdated, but it's the only web framework our crusty operations team knows how to deploy reliably," the tech lead said with a sigh, as the team's morale visibly deflated.

If you actually want to learn more...

• For a humorous take on the cultural divide between Java and Ruby on Rails web development, check out Ruby on Rails vs. Java Enterprise by Martin Kleppmann. It highlights the contrast between the simplicity and agility of Rails and the enterprise-focused complexity of Java web frameworks.

• If you're curious about building REST APIs in a JVM language that's a bit more modern than Java, take a look at Building Go Test It: Fun with Scala and REST APIs, also by Martin Kleppmann. It shows how to use Scala and the Jersey library to create REST APIs, while poking a bit of fun at the verbosity of Java tools like Maven.

• For a treasure trove of resources related to Lisp, a language that makes Java look downright tame in comparison, head over to Paul Graham's Lisp Resources page. It won't help you with JSP (JavaServer Pages) directly, but it might inspire you to explore more expressive programming paradigms. Or it might just make you appreciate the relative simplicity of Java. Either way, it's worth a look.

Note: the Developer Dictionary is in Beta. Please direct feedback to skye@statsig.com.