Which framework should I use?

> I'm starting the development of a top down web

> service, meaining that I'll star with a WSDL file and

> end up with a very good looking webservice app.

Sounds like a good approach. Some people want to generate WSDL from their code, which is the wrong way around. Start with thinking and specifying, and end with a good working implementation that works as specified. So far so good!

> I have IBM's Rational Development platform and my

> question is: should I use the built in IBM WebSphere

> run-time environment, or if should I install and use

> Apache Axis instead?

Have you considered using XINS? You will only need to write some minimal XML specification files and from that XINS will generate WSDL, HTML documentation and a working WAR file, which you can deploy in any servlet container.

There's a 15-minute tutorial available:

http://xins.sourceforge.net/primer.html

Let me know what you think of it!

Ernst de Haan

XINS Developer

ernst_dehaana at 2007-7-16 2:06:36 >

I've used WebSphere tools to develop both web service endpoints and clients and if you will be deploying to a WebSphere application server there really is no better alternative. IBM have put a lot of effort into their web service tools and there are heaps of Red Books around plus tutorials and articles on developerWorks to help you.

But, I did find that the WebSphere tools did a lot for me beneath the covers without telling me. I also came across some incompatiblities in the web service APIs included in WebSphere: if you want to use the latest and greatest web service feature, you may have to wait a little while until it's included in WebSphere. But, if you will always be developing under WebSphere, then you don't have to go any further.

On the other hand, if you want to really, really understand web services, you'll have to broaden your skill set.

So, my personal web service development environment includes the following tools:

* Sun's web service development kit.

* Eclipse 3.1 with the web tools plugin and the MyEclipse add-on product for development. The latest version of Eclipse comes with a graphical WSDL editor to match the one that comes with WebSphere.

* JBoss application server. It uses Axis under the covers and you might as well take the learning hit now of deploying to a full blown J2EE application server rather than just a web container.

* SOAPScope from http://www.mindreef.com for testing and performance tuning.

* XMLSPY for the inevitable XML editing. But, there are lots of cheaper alternatives.

* And, crossing to the dark side for a moment, I've also used Microsoft InfoPath 2003 as a web service client for document-style web services, and for creating complex XML instance documents.

If you have time, also check out the web service tools in Sun's Studio Enterprise and Studio Creator IDEs, both of which are free at the moment. And, Sun's web service developer certification is a great learning path.

craigcaulfielda at 2007-7-16 2:06:36 >