Java web client using JAX WS

Table of Contents

Java web client using JAX WS

System Requirements:

Client Code Auto Generation using JAX-WS

Implement Client and Header Handlers

Service Initialization

Handler Resolution

Object Creation

Finally, call the web service through SEI

Code Files (For VehiclePriceCalculation service only)

System Requirements:

JDK 1.6: Download from

Java IDE (optional): for example IDEA, Eclipse, NetBeans

Client Code Auto Generation using JAX-WS

Java API for XML-Based Web Services (JAX-WS) tooling supports generating Java artifacts needed to develop static JAX-WS Web services clients when starting with a Web Services Description Language (WSDL) file.

The static client programming model for JAX-WS is called the dynamic proxy client. The dynamic proxy client invokes a Web service based on a service endpoint interface that is provided. After a proxy is created, the client application can invoke methods on the proxy just like a standard implementation of those interfaces. For JAX-WS Web service clients using the dynamic proxy programming model, use the JAX-WS tool, wsimport, to process a WSDL file and generate portable Java artifacts that are used to create a Web service client. Create the following portable Java artifacts using the wsimport tool:

  • Service endpoint interface (SEI)
  • Service class
  • Java Architecture for XML Binding (JAXB) generated type values which are Java classes mapped from XML schema types

One of the most important benefits of using JAX WS is that it is part of the Java Specifications and does not require any third party jars to be loaded in the classpath

Simple steps to follow

  1. Create directory where auto code needs to be generated, let’s say D:\Projects\client\java\src or /home/<user>/projects/ client/java/
  2. Create customBinding.xml with following content(attached in theCode Files section below)
  1. Open command prompt
  2. Go to directory created above

cd D:\Projects\client\java\src

  1. Run following command to start code generation process:

wsimport -s . –b <path to the above created xml file> <wsdl file path>

For e.g. D:\Projects\client\java\src>wsimport -s D:\Projects\custom\src -b customBinding.xml

For more information run wsimport –help

The above generated code can be compiled and added to a Java archive(jar) file and ported to any application as a single unit.

Implement Client and Header Handlers

A Client would be the point of interaction for the application trying to integrate with the webservice.

Client class would interact with Service Endpoint Interface created above to make a call to webservice.

Following explanation would present a sample java web client created for VehiclePriceCalculation

Service Initialization

First part of Client would be initialization of service endpoint.

Sample Code Snippet:

Handler Resolution

The JAX-WS programming model provides an application handler facility that enables us to manipulate a message on either an inbound or an outbound flow. This Handler sniffs the outgoing SOAP Requests and adds the required security credentials. If the security policy or framework changes, all we need to do is create a new handler and associate it with the client, so it won't require any code changes at the client end.

Sample Code Snippet:

OasisHeaderHandler.java is attached in the next section.

Object Creation

The wsimport has generated type values which are Java classes mapped from XML schema types. These types are essentially the input and output object types of the service endpoint interface.

Sample Code Snippet:

Finally, call the web service through SEI

Sample Code Snippet:

Code Files (For VehiclePriceCalculation service only)

Custom Binding XML

Generated code:

Client Classes:

Handler Class:

Complete Package