Inbound services

WebSphere Commerce provides inbound web services to retrieve information for WebSphere Commerce business operations. We can use the code and documentation that is provided with WebSphere Commerce to enable inbound web services to integrate backend systems and external system with WebSphere Commerce operations.

• Inbound messages over IBM MQ
  The IBM MQ adapter allows us to integrate back-end and external systems with WebSphere Commerce using IBM MQ. The IBM MQ adapter allows WebSphere Commerce to receive messages from back-end systems and external systems. The messages sent may be either XML messages or legacy messages.

• XML over HTTP
  WebSphere Commerce can receive inbound XML messages over HTTP using the Program Adapter.

• Program adapter
  The program adapter allows external systems to communicate with WebSphere Commerce by passing XML requests over the HTTP protocol. The program adapter provides external systems such as procurement systems with a common way to communicate with WebSphere Commerce through HTTP, allowing WebSphere Commerce to act as a supplier to these systems, for buyer and supplier transactions.

• Message mappers
  A message mapper is a mechanism that takes an XML message and converts it to a CommandProperty object. It provides a common interface so that messages can be converted to CommandProperty objects and used by all WebSphere Commerce components.

• Adding messages to the Listener for IBM MQ
  WebSphere Commerce allows us to extend the Listener for IBM MQ (formally transport adapter) to process additional messages.

• Device format algorithm
  The device format algorithm is used to determine the appropriate JSP to use as the response for a particular request. When a request is received and the message mapper is used to convert the request into a CommandProperty object, the message mapper and adapter used to process the request determine the appropriate device format for generating the content of the response. The ID of the message mapper is added to the device format ID of the adapter to determine the overall device format ID of the response.

• Creating an inbound XML message
  In addition to the supported XML and WebSphere Commerce messages, we can add support for new inbound messages.

• Generic application and system error XML messages
  In WebSphere Commerce, generic application and system errors can occur. XML messages are generated if a command, invoked by an inbound message through IBM MQ, encounters a generic application or a generic system exception.