[marktangotango]

The main differentiator of jsf as a display technology is server side rendering, which you allude to but didn't state explicitly. When used idiomatically, jsf removes a lot of compmexity from the stack; very little or no client side javascript, client side templating, marshalling and unmarshalling data from to json or xml representation. All these things become things the developer doesnt have to deal with.

BUT before i start to sound too much like a fan boy, where jsf fails is when you need to anything off the jsf path. Then you are looking at implementing custom components or tacking on the entire client side js ecosystem.

So, jsf may have a place for rapid implementation if your devs aren't proficient with client side ui imo, but thats about the only time its appropriate, again imo.