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Apache Axis2 is a powerful tool for developing web services, and its ease of use is one of its greatest strengths. With Axis2, you can create and deploy web services quickly and efficiently.
One of the key features of Axis2 is its support for multiple data binding styles, including XML, JSON, and binary. This flexibility makes it easy to work with different data formats and protocols.
Developing web services with Axis2 is also made easier by its built-in support for WS-Security and other web service standards. This ensures that your services are secure and compliant with industry standards.
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Why Apache Axis2
Apache Axis2 was introduced with a new architecture in August 2004 at the Axis2 Summit in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
This new architecture preserved some concepts from Axis 1.x, such as handlers.
Apache Axis2 supports both SOAP 1.1 and SOAP 1.2, giving you flexibility in your web services.
It also has integrated support for the REST style of web services, allowing you to offer multiple interfaces with the same business logic.
This flexibility makes it a great choice for developers who need to work with different web service standards.
Axis2/C is a high-performance web services implementation that can be embedded or hosted in various servers, including Apache Httpd, Microsoft IIS, or Axis Http Server.
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Features
Apache Axis2 is a powerful tool for building and deploying web services. It includes support for various standards such as WS-ReliableMessaging, WS-Coordination, and WS-SecurityPolicy.
One of the key features of Axis2 is its speed, thanks to its own object model and StAX (Streaming API for XML). This allows for efficient processing of XML data.
Axis2 also has a low memory footprint, making it suitable for use in resource-constrained environments. Its AXIOM object model is a lightweight alternative to other XML object models.
Here are some of the key features of Axis2, grouped by category:
In addition to these features, Axis2 also supports various add-ons, including WSS4J for security, Sandesha for messaging, and Kandula for WS-Coordination and WS-AtomicTransaction.
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Deployment and Installation
To deploy Axis2, you'll need to download the WAR distribution and copy the web archive file to the Tomcat webapps root.
You can access the Axis2 welcome page by going to http://localhost:8080/axis2 in your browser.
The WSDL path of the SimpleService is crucial for creating the client code.
To create the request object, you'll need to add input parameters to the request.
You can download the Apache Axis2 runtime from the official website at http://ws.apache.org/axis2/download.cgi.
You'll need to follow the instructions in the Apache Axis2 installation guide to complete the installation.
Once installed, you'll need to associate the Axis2 runtime with the workbench by browsing to the location where you installed Apache Axis2.
Here are the steps to install the Apache Axis2 runtime:
- Download Apache Axis2 v1.2 or v1.3 from the official website.
- Follow the instructions in the installation guide.
- Associate the Axis2 runtime with the workbench by browsing to the installation location.
After installing the Axis2 runtime, you can verify the successful installation by checking the message that displays in the workbench.
Creating and Managing Services
Creating an Axis2 archive is a straightforward process. Simply create a directory structure with a META-INF folder containing a services descriptor file, and a binary that implements the service.
A service class is a plain old Java class that exposes services through public methods. For example, the SimpleService class offers a single service named add, which accepts two Integer parameters and returns their sum.
To deploy an Axis2 archive, create a directory structure with a META-INF folder containing a services descriptor file, and a binary that implements the service. Then, browse to http://localhost:8080/axis2/services/listServices in your browser to see the service listed as an available service.
Here are the general steps to create an Axis2 project:
- Create a new Dynamic Web project and add the Axis2 facet.
- Change the classloading for the EAR from PARENT_FIRST to PARENT_LAST if necessary.
These steps will get you started with creating and managing services using Apache Axis2.
The Service
The Service is a key component of Axis2, and it's essential to understand how it works.
An Axis2 archive has a specific directory structure, with the META-INF folder containing the services descriptor file.
The service class itself is a plain old Java class that exposes the services it offers through public methods.
A service needs a service descriptor to be exposed to Axis2, which defines the service class with its Fully Qualified Name (FQN).
To deploy the service, you need to compile the sources and create an Axis2 archive.
Once deployed, you can browse to http://localhost:8080/axis2/services/listServices to see the service listed as available.
Clicking on the service link will display the WSDL file, which describes the service and its operation in an abstracted XML interpretation.
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Creating Web Services Projects
Creating Web Services Projects is a straightforward process. You can create a new project by clicking File > New > Project > Dynamic Web project.
To add the Axis2 facet, right-click your project and click Properties > Project Facets > Modify project > Axis2 Web Services, and click Finish.
If you're deploying to a server where the Axis2 JAR files will reside, you'll need to change the classloading for the EAR from PARENT_FIRST to PARENT_LAST. This involves expanding the EAR associated with your Axis2 project, launching its deployment descriptor, and changing the Classloader mode field to PARENT_LAST.
To create a Web service from a Java bean using the Apache Axis2 runtime environment, the Web Service wizard is your best friend. It assists you in creating a new Web service, configuring it for deployment, and deploying the Web service to a server.
You can also create a Java bean skeleton from a WSDL document using the Apache Axis2 runtime environment. The Web service wizard assists you in creating a skeleton bean from an existing WSDL document.
Here's a quick summary of the steps to create a Web service project:
- Create a new Dynamic Web project.
- Add the Axis2 facet to your project.
- Change the classloading for the EAR if necessary.
Release Information and Updates
Apache Axis2 was initially released in 2004, making it a relatively old but still widely used web services framework.
The first release of Apache Axis2 was version 1.0, which was announced on February 14, 2004. This marked the beginning of a new era in web services development.
One of the key features of Axis2 is its ability to handle SOAP 1.1 and SOAP 1.2 messages, making it a versatile tool for developers.
Axis2's modular architecture allows for easy extension and customization, which has contributed to its popularity among developers.
The Apache Axis2 team has been actively maintaining and updating the framework, with new releases every few months.
As of 2020, the latest stable release of Axis2 is version 1.7.9, which includes several bug fixes and performance improvements.
By following the official documentation and release notes, developers can stay up-to-date with the latest features and changes in Axis2.
The Apache Axis2 community is active and engaged, with many developers contributing to the project and providing support to each other.
The release notes for each version of Axis2 provide a detailed list of changes, fixes, and new features, which can be useful for developers looking to upgrade or migrate to a new version.
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Overview and Getting Started
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Apache Axis2 is a powerful tool for building web services, and getting started is easier than you think. It's an open-source, extensible, and highly configurable framework that supports multiple transport protocols.
Axis2 is built on top of the Apache Axis framework, which was first released in 2001. This means you can leverage the experience and expertise of the Axis community.
One of the key benefits of Axis2 is its ability to handle large volumes of data, making it ideal for real-time web services. This is particularly useful for applications that require high-speed data processing.
To get started with Axis2, you'll need to download and install the software. This can be done from the Apache Axis2 website, where you'll find links to the latest releases.
Once installed, you can start building your web services using the Axis2 API. This API provides a simple and intuitive way to create and deploy web services, regardless of the transport protocol you're using.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Apache CXF and Axis2?
Apache CXF and Axis2 are both web service frameworks, but CXF offers additional features such as WS-Addressing and WS-Security, while Axis2 is missing WS-Policy support but will add it in a future version.
Sources
- https://axis.apache.org/axis2/java/core/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apache_Axis2
- https://medium.com/@chamilad/creating-a-web-service-using-apache-axis2-no-ide-6bfa68bcf4a
- https://help.eclipse.org/latest/topic/org.eclipse.jst.ws.axis2.ui.doc.user/topics/caxis2tover.html
- https://axis.apache.org/axis2/c/core/
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