Example: Developing Web services clients based on Web Services for J2EE

This example takes you through the steps to develop a Web service client. The development process is based on the Web Services for J2EE and the Java API for XML-based remote procedure call (JAX-RPC) specification. For a Java or J2EE application to act as a client of a Web service, map the WSDL file to the Java code. The JAX-RPC specification defines the mapping between a WSDL file, Java code and XML Schema types.

Steps for this example task

  1. Obtain the Web Services Description Language (WSDL) document for the Web service that you want to access.

    You can obtain the WSDL document from the service provider by e-mail or by looking it up in a Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI) registry.

  2. Develop client bindings from your WSDL file.

    The WSDL document is used to generate all the information needed to invoke the Web service, including the Service Endpoint Interface and implementations; generated service interface; webservicesclient.xml and ibm-webservicesclient-bnd.xmi and ibm-webservicesclient-ext.xmi deployment descriptors.

    The WSDL2Java command-line tool is run against your WSDL file to develop client bindings.

  3. Implement the client.

    See Chapter 4 of the JSR-109 specification. You can access the specification through Web services: Resources for learning.

    You can also review the GetQuote sample available in the Samples Gallery.

  4. Assemble the module.

    Assemble the client JAR file into an EAR file or assemble the client WAR file into an EAR file.

  5. Configure the deployment descriptors.

    Configure the webservicesclient.xml deployment descriptor.

    Configure the ibm-webservicesclient-bnd.xmi deployment descriptor.

  6. Test the Web services client.

    You should test the client to make sure it correctly operates and binds to the Web service.