This section describes how to implement a client by using a client API for RESTful Web Services (hereafter, referred to as a Web resource client). When implementing a client by using the standard Java APIs such as java.net.URL and java.net.HttpURLConnection, see the JDK documentation.

The Web resource clients have no specific restrictions. This allows you to develop, for example, the following Web services:

• Java applications (calling Web resources from Java applications)
• JSPs (calling Web resources from JSPs)
• Servlets (calling Web resources from servlets)
• EJBs (calling Web resources from EJBs)
• SOAP Web Services (calling Web resources from SOAP Web Services)
• Web resources (calling an additional Web resource from a root resource class and sub resource class)

A Web resource client differs from a client that calls SOAP Web Services in which you do not need to create Java sources such as a stub in advance by executing a command before implementing a Web resource client. Implement a Web resource client according to the specifications of a client API for RESTful Web Services. For details on the specifications of a client API for RESTful Web Services, see 25. Client API Support Environment for RESTful Web Services.

Organization of this section

11.4.1 Use case of a Web resource client

11.4.2 Mechanism of a client API for RESTful Web Services

11.4.3 Setting properties and features

11.4.4 Setting an HTTP header

11.4.5 Notes