Introduction: Web services

Explore the key concepts pertaining to web services applications. Web services are self-contained, modular applications that can be described, published, located, and invoked over a network. They implement a service-oriented architecture (SOA), which supports the connecting or sharing of resources and data in a flexible and standardized manner. Services are described and organized to support their dynamic, automated discovery and reuse.

The WebSphere® Application Server supports a set of web services standards that support the creation and administration of interoperable, securable, transactionable, and reliable web services applications. Using the strategic Java™ API for XML-Based Web Services (JAX-WS) programming model, web service clients can now additionally invoke web services asynchronously, which means your client can continue processing without waiting on the response. Your JAX-WS web services can also take advantage of the Web Services Reliable Messaging protocol quality of service where you can be confident that your communication is reliable and reaches its destination while interoperating with other vendors.

The WebSphere® Application Server supports both the JAX-WS programming model and the Java™ API for XML-based RPC (JAX-RPC) programming model. JAX-WS is the next generation web services programming model extending the foundation provided by the JAX-RPC programming model.

JAX-WS simplifies development through a standard, annotation-based model to develop web services and clients. A common set of binding rules for XML and Java objects make it easy to incorporate XML data and processing functions in Java. A further set of enhancements help you optimally send binary attachments, such as images or files with the web services request.

Simplified management of these web services profiles makes it easy to configure and reuse configurations, so you can seamlessly incorporate new web services profiles.

For a complete list of the supported standards and specifications, see the web services specifications and API documentation.