Learn Web services. Question after reading FAQs

[Mike Anna]

Dear all,

I have posted before about this. However, now, I wish to really learn it.
I have gone through the FAQs yet again. They dont look like they have changed too much. I am here to learn web services. Primarily because they can get me a better paying job and also because I would love to learn a new technology.

I am now confused about where to begin. Earlier it was SOA and now its ROA. Now I read that even SOAP is obsolete.

Do I just begin with learning RESTful Webservices ? or Do I do another round of drill by beginning with AXIS and the way web services are implemented ?

Any help and guidance in this persuit, deeply appreciated.

Rgds,
[ October 21, 2008: Message edited by: Mike Anna ]

[Ulf Dittmer]

I wouldn't say that SOAP is obsolete, or on its way to becoming so. But RESTful services have certainly made large gains. I think you'll see both being used and complement each other. (SOAP is more complex, but it has some advantages over REST, e.g. the WS-Security approach to authentication, encryption and signature.)

By the way, there's now an official Java API for REST. It's called JAX-RS, and its reference implementation can be found at jersey.dev.java.net. Checking that out might be a nice chance of pace if you're already familiar with JAX-WS (which is the standard Java API for SOAP-based services, apart from the lower-level SAAJ).

[Mike Anna]

Thanks Ulf. I think I better start of learning from the scratch.