Recently, I decided to start learning about java web services and when I started to search a tutorial for java web-services in google, I found out that there are many types of webservices XML based, SOAP based, also RESTful webservices.
Also, I found that there is a JAX-WS specification for xml based web-services, and JAX-RS specification for creating RESTful webservices.
Q1) I got confused, it would be great if anybody can help me understanding the difference between these different type of webservices, so that I can decide which one to learn first.
Q2) Also, I want to learn in-depth about creating different types of web-services in java. Is there any tutorial or resources which can give an insight to each kind of webservice and a comparison between them.
Q3) based on what scenarios and conditions should I decide that I want to create an XML based web-service rather than a SOAP service or I should go with RESTful service.
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If your application often uses http protocol then REST is best because of its light weight, and knowing that your application uses only http protocol choosing SOAP is not so good because it heavy,Better to make decision on web service selection based on the protocols we use in our applications.
The SOAP WS supports both remote procedure call (i.e. RPC) and message oriented middle-ware (MOM) integration styles. The Restful Web Service supports only RPC integration style.
The SOAP WS is transport protocol neutral. Supports multiple protocols like HTTP(S), Messaging, TCP, UDP SMTP, etc. The REST is transport protocol specific. Supports only HTTP or HTTPS protocols.
The SOAP WS permits only XML data format.You define operations, which tunnels through the POST. The focus is on accessing the named operations and exposing the application logic as a service. The REST permits multiple data formats like XML, JSON data, text, HTML, etc. Any browser can be used because the REST approach uses the standard GET, PUT, POST, and DELETE Web operations. The focus is on accessing the named resources and exposing the data as a service. REST has AJAX support. It can use the XMLHttpRequest object. Good for stateless CRUD (Create, Read, Update, and Delete) operations. GET - represent() POST - acceptRepresention() PUT - storeRepresention() DELETE - removeRepresention()
SOAP based reads cannot be cached. REST based reads can be cached. Performs and scales better. SOAP WS supports both SSL security and WS-security, which adds some enterprise security features like maintaining security right up to the point where it is needed, maintaining identities through intermediaries and not just point to point SSL only, securing different parts of the message with different security algorithms, etc. The REST supports only point-to-point SSL security. The SSL encrypts the whole message, whether all of it is sensitive or not. The SOAP has comprehensive support for both ACID based transaction management for short-lived transactions and compensation based transaction management for long-running transactions. It also supports two-phase commit across distributed resources. The REST supports transactions, but it is neither ACID compliant nor can provide two phase commit across distributed transactional resources as it is limited by its HTTP protocol.
The SOAP has success or retry logic built in and provides end-to-end reliability even through SOAP intermediaries. REST does not have a standard messaging system, and expects clients invoking the service to deal with communication failures by retrying.
source http://java-success.blogspot.in/2012/02/java-web-services-interview-questions.html
Q1) Here are couple things to read or google more :
Main differences between SOAP and RESTful web services in java http://www.ajaxonomy.com/2008/xml/web-services-part-1-soap-vs-rest
It's up to you what do you want to learn first. I'd recommend you take a look at the CXF framework. You can build both rest/soap services.
Q2) Here are couple of good tutorials for soap (I had them bookmarked) :
http://www.benmccann.com/blog/web-services-tutorial-with-apache-cxf/
http://www.mastertheboss.com/web-interfaces/337-apache-cxf-interceptors.html
Best way to learn is not just reading tutorials. But you would first go trough tutorials to get a basic idea so you can see that you're able to produce something(or not) and that would get you motivated.
SO is great way to learn particular technology (or more), people ask lot of wierd questions, and there are ever weirder answers. But overall you'll learn about ways to solve issues on other way. Maybe you didn't know of that way, maybe you couldn't thought of it by yourself.
Subscribe to couple of tags that are interesting to you and be persistent, ask good questions and try to give good answers and I guarantee you that you'll learn this as time passes (if you're persistent that is).
Q3) You will have to answer this one yourself. First by deciding what you're going to build, after all you will need to think of some mini project or something and take it from there.
If you decide to use CXF as your framework for building either REST/SOAP services I'd recommend you look up this book Apache CXF Web Service Development.
It's fantastic, not hard to read and not too big either (win win).
Source: Stackoverflow.com