users@glassfish.java.net

Re: WADL advice needed

From: <glassfish_at_javadesktop.org>
Date: Wed, 21 May 2008 08:35:59 PDT

> Hi, firstly, apologies if this is not the right place to post but it seemed the best fit.

users_at_wadl.dev.java.net is probably the best place for future WADL questions.

> I'm after some advice. Basically I've got some existing simple web services (not soap / wsdl)
> that use simple URLs and return XML documents (used in an existing AJAX app).

> What I'd like to do is expose these using WADL - then hopefully if possible write a traditional
> thick client (as an extension to the ajax web app version) using these services. Ideally I'd like
> IDE or framework support to automate some of the boilerplate coding based on the WADL, so
> I can concentrate on GUI design etc.

Check out the wadl2java tool available from http://wadl.dev.java.net/

> So, I'm wondering - my services are not strictly REST, although they are loosely REST-like,
> how strict is WADL in this sense?

Its fairly loose in the sense that it can describe any HTTP-based exchange.

> Can my services be turned into simple RPC that can be automated into a client side API?

That is what the wadl2java tool attempts to do. Its still fairly raw but I've had success with some home-baked WADLs for some Amazon and Yahoo APIs.

> Now, here's the thing (and this may not be the right place to ask) but as well as a probably
> Java SE based thick client I might need a .NET equivalent, is there WADL tool support in .NET?

Not that I'm aware of.

Regards,
Marc.
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