Amazon.com Review
Aimed at the experienced Java developer or project manager,
AXIS: Next Generation Java SOAP provides a concise guide to the Apache eXtensible Interaction System (AXIS), an open-source effort that can greatly speed up productivity with Web services in Java. This up-to-the-minute text is both timely and authoritative when it comes to explaining the underlying Web service standards (like SOAP, WSDL, and UDDI) and how AXIS lets Java developers work with them more efficiently.
Early sections dig into the organization of SOAP envelopes and descriptions of actual Web services, with the underlying XML explained in detail. After showing how to install AXIS, it's on to a simple Web service. (A handy appendix shows how to integrate the AXIS package into today's J2EE-compliant application servers, including JBoss.) Several utilities in AXIS can simplify the lives of programmers tackling Web services by automating the creation of WSDL from Java (and vice versa). The authors show you just how to do it. Next comes a tour of the architecture of AXIS and how it handles message processing. Practical advice on using AXIS Web Service Deployment Descriptor (WSDD) helps anchor the material.
The examples given throughout this compact text are easy to code and understand. Several sections illustrate real-world techniques for creating custom handlers in AXIS to perform useful functions, including request logging, performance monitoring, and handling faults. Later chapters look at changing the underlying transport protocol from HTTP to the Java Message Service (JMS).
A standout here is a later chapter on getting AXIS and Microsoft .NET Web services to interoperate. (The sample code here should be invaluable in the field for custom projects on both platforms.) Final sections glance at future directions for the evolving AXIS initiative. Plus, there's a full-fledged case study for a Web service-based system for spare auto parts, illustrating the techniques presented earlier on.
In all, with its notably clear examples and solid presentation of essential AXIS programming techniques, this efficiently packaged volume can put Web services within reach of most any working Java developer. --Richard Dragan
From the Publisher
SOAP is rapidly becoming the standard protocol used for communication in distributed applications and web services. All major vendors are currently investing heavily in supporting web services and integrating support for SOAP. One of the main problems with Apache SOAP 2.x is performance, the code was developed in an ad-hoc manner and performance and scalability weren’t a top priority. AXIS implements SAX based parsing which is faster and requires less memory. The considerable enhancements should drive people to convert to AXIS from not only Apache SOAP, but other Java SOAP implementations as well.
With SOAP (the specification, not a specific implementation) undergoing radical changes, the limitations of the Apache SOAP 2.x implementation were constraining the ability to keep up with the changes. Therefore, Apache decide that a total ground up re-architecture was needed and the name was change to emphasise the scale of the changes. Upgrading current applications to AXIS will require considerable changes so there will be a demand for information on this. AXIS will be the first major Java implementation to support the latest SOAP specification and the redesign should allow it be easily updated as things change.
