WAS v8.5 > End-to-end paths > Web services - RESTful services

Use XML content in JAX-RS application requests and responses

XML is a common media format that RESTful services consume and produce. To deserialize and serialize XML, we can represent requests and responses by JAXB annotated objects.

JAXB a Java technology that provides an easy and convenient way to map Java classes and an XML schema for simplified development of web services. JAXB uses the flexibility of platform-neutral XML data in Java applications to bind an XML schema to Java applications without requiring extensive knowledge of XML programming.

  1. Configure the development environment

    Before you start developing JAX-RS applications, set up your development environment by adding the JAX-RS libraries on the classpath.

  2. Define the resources in JAX-RS web applications.

    Resources are the basic building block of a RESTful service. Resources can contain static or dynamically updated data. Examples of resources from an online book store application include a book, an order from a store, and a collection of users. By identifying the resources in the application, we can make the service more useful and easier to develop.

  3. Configure the JAX-RS application

    We can configure JAX-RS applications in multiple ways depending on your needs. To take advantage of the Java EE 6 functionality, we can use the annotation scanning capabilities. By using annotation scanning, we can omit a JAX-RS javax.ws.rs.core.Application subclass or have a minimally defined javax.ws.rs.core.Application subclass. Alternatively, we can specify the IBM JAX-RS servlet or filter to use the functionality available in the IBM JAX-RS servlet and filter.

    Using one of the JAX-RS v1.1 configuration methods, we can omit a javax.ws.rs.core.Application subclass in the application or have a javax.ws.rs.core.Application subclass that returns an empty set of classes to inform the JAX-RS runtime environment to find and use all the JAX-RS classes in the application. You might want to use this method when we do not want to have to manually add every relevant JAX-RS class to a javax.ws.rs.core.Application subclass as you develop the application.

    By specifying the specific IBM JAX-RS servlet and filter, we can take advantage of and ensure specific IBM JAX-RS behavior. For example, using the IBM JAX-RS filter can be helpful in developing a web application with a mix of JAX-RS resources and JSP files with the same URL patterns.

    Even though there is a JAX-RS V1.1 configuration method that supports the use of an optional web.xml file, to specify security constraints or roles, or to take advantage of other features enabled using a web.xml file, specify the information in a web.xml file.

    Choose one of the following three methods to configure your JAX-RS application:

  4. Implement a resource method using JAXB objects for XML content.

    We can use JAXB objects as request entity parameters and response entities with JAX-RS applications. Instead of transforming XML to and from native Java types, we can take advantage of using JAXB objects.

  5. Assemble JAX-RS web applications.

    After you develop the Java class files for the JAX-RS web application and edit web.xml to enable the JAX-RS servlet, you are ready to assemble the application. Assemble the web application into a WAR package. We can assemble the WAR package into an EAR package, if required.

  6. Deploy JAX-RS web applicationsDeploy JAX-RS web applications

    After we have assembled your JAX-RS web application, you need to deploy your Web archive (WAR) package or the EAR package onto the application server.


Related

Implement a resource method using JAXB objects for XML content
Web services specifications and APIs


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