Menu

wsimport utility

wsimport utility

The wsimport utility is a command-line tool provided by Java’s JAX-WS (Java API for XML Web Services) implementation. It is used to generate Java classes (client-side artifacts) from a WSDL (Web Services Description Language) file. These generated classes facilitate the invocation of SOAP-based web services by providing a convenient way to interact with them programmatically.

wsimport utility

Purpose

  • 1.  Generation of Client-Side Artifacts :
    • wsimport generates Java classes (like stubs and proxies) that correspond to the web service’s operations, data types, and protocols described in the WSDL file.
    • These classes abstract away the complexities of SOAP messaging and provide a straightforward API for invoking web service methods.
  • 2.  Integration with Java Development :
    • It seamlessly integrates with Java development environments, allowing developers to incorporate web service clients into their Java applications with ease.
    • Automates the creation of necessary bindings and classes required to interact with the web service.

Example Usage in Java

To illustrate how wsimport is used, consider the following example where we generate client-side artifacts for a hypothetical CalculatorService SOAP web service.

Example Steps:

  • 1.  Download the WSDL File :
    • Assume you have the WSDL file accessible at http://example.com/calculator?wsdl.
  • 2.  Run wsimport Command :
    • Open a terminal or command prompt and navigate to the directory where you want to generate the Java classes.
    • Execute the wsimport command, specifying the URL or file path of the WSDL and any necessary options.

bash

wsimport -keep http://example.com/calculator?wsdl

keep option retains the generated Java source files for inspection and customization.

  • 3.  Generated Java Classes :
    • After running wsimport, it generates Java classes corresponding to the web service operations and types described in the WSDL file.
    • These classes include stubs, service interfaces, and data types needed to invoke methods on the web service.

Example Output

Upon successful execution, wsimport generates a set of Java classes that you can use in your application to interact with the CalculatorService web service. These classes handle the marshalling and unmarshalling of SOAP messages, making it easier to work with SOAP-based web services in Java.

Homepage

Readmore