Jakarta RESTful Web Services, (JAX-RS; formerly Java API for RESTful Web Services) is a Jakarta EE API specification that provides support in creating web services according to the Representational State Transfer (REST) architectural pattern. JAX-RS uses annotationss, introduced in Java SE 5, to simplify the development and deployment of web service clients and endpoints.

From version 1.1 on, JAX-RS is an official part of Java EE 6. A notable feature of being an official part of Java EE is that no configuration is necessary to start using JAX-RS. For non-Java EE 6 environments a small entry in the deployment descriptor is required.

Specification

JAX-RS provides some annotations to aid in mapping a resource class (a POJO) as a web resource. The annotations use the Java package jakarta.ws.rs (previously was javax.ws.rs but was renamed on May 19, 2019). They include:

• @Path specifies the relative path for a resource class or method.

• @GET, @POST, @PUT, @PATCH (since JAX-RS 2.1), @DELETE, @HEAD and @OPTIONS (since JAX-RS 1.1) specify the HTTP request type of a resource.

• @Produces specifies the response Internet media types (used for content negotiation).

• @Consumes specifies the accepted request Internet media types.

In addition, it provides further annotations to method parameters to pull information out of the request. All the @*Param annotations take a key of some form which is used to look up the value required.

• @PathParam binds the method parameter to a path segment.

• @QueryParam binds the method parameter to the value of an HTTP query parameter.

• @MatrixParam binds the method parameter to the value of an HTTP matrix parameter.

• @HeaderParam binds the method parameter to an HTTP header value.

• @CookieParam binds the method parameter to a cookie value.

• @FormParam binds the method parameter to a form value.

• @DefaultValue specifies a default value for the above bindings when the key is not found.

• @Context returns the entire context of the object (for example @Context HttpServletRequest request).

JAX-RS 2.0

In January 2011 the JCP formed the JSR 339 expert group to work on JAX-RS 2.0. The main targets are (among others) a common client API and support for Hypermedia following the HATEOAS-principle of REST. In May 2013, it reached the Final Release stage.

On 2017-08-22 JAX-RS 2.1 specification final release was published. Main new supported features include server-sent events, reactive clients, and JSON-B.

Implementations

Implementations of JAX-RS include:

• Apache CXF, an open source Web service framework

• Jersey, the reference implementation from Sun (now Oracle)

• RESTeasy, JBoss's implementation

• Restlet

WebSphere Application Server from IBM:

• Version 7.0: via the "Feature Pack for Communications Enabled Applications"

• Version 8.0 onwards: natively

• WebLogic Application Server from Oracle, see notes

• Apache Tuscany (http://tuscany.apache.org/documentation-2x/sca-java-bindingrest.html), discontinued

• Cuubez framework (https://web.archive.org/web/20190707005602/http://cuubez.com/)

• Everrest, Codenvy's Implementation

• Jello-Framework, Java Application Framework optimized for Google App Engine, including a powerful RESTful engine and comprehensive Data Authorization model.

• Apache TomEE, an addition to Apache Tomcat

References

• Hadley, Marc and Paul Sandoz, eds. (September 17, 2009). JAX-RS: Java API for RESTful WebServices (version 1.1), Java Community Process

External links

Tutorials

• https://javabrains.io/courses/javaee_jaxrs/

• http://docs.oracle.com/javaee/6/tutorial/doc/giepu.html

• http://www.vogella.com/tutorials/REST/article.html

• http://www.mkyong.com/tutorials/jax-rs-tutorials/

• http://www.coderpanda.com/jax-rs-tutorial/

• https://www.javavogue.com/2015/03/java-jerseyjax-rs-tutorials/

• http://howtodoinjava.com/restful-web-service/

• https://jakarta.ee/learn/starter-guides/how-to-build-a-restful-web-service/

• https://jakarta.ee/learn/starter-guides/how-to-secure-a-restful-web-service/

• https://jakarta.ee/learn/docs/jakartaee-tutorial/current/websvcs/rest/rest.html

• https://jakarta.ee/learn/specification-guides/restful-web-services-explained/