Programming RESTful Services with REST/JAX-RS (RES111)

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to building RESTful services using Java API for RESTful Web Services (JAX-RS). It is designed for developers who are looking to gain expertise in creating RESTful APIs, covering the fundamentals of REST architecture, JAX-RS framework, and advanced topics like security and versioning. The course offers practical, hands-on experience in building scalable and efficient RESTful services.

The course begins with an Introduction to REST and JAX-RS, where you'll learn the core principles of RESTful services, including statelessness, resource identification, and representational state transfer. You'll explore the benefits of REST over traditional web services, the HTTP methods commonly used in REST (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE), and how JAX-RS simplifies the development of RESTful services using annotations and conventions.

Next, you'll dive into Setting Up Your Development Environment, guiding you through installing and configuring the necessary tools such as Java, Maven, and an IDE like Eclipse or IntelliJ. You'll learn how to set up a JAX-RS project and create a basic RESTful service, establishing a solid foundation for the more advanced concepts covered later in the course.

The Resource Design module introduces the design principles of RESTful services, including defining resources, URIs, and how to map HTTP methods to CRUD operations. You'll learn best practices for structuring URIs, managing resource hierarchies, and working with path parameters, query parameters, and form data. This section emphasizes designing APIs that are easy to use, maintain, and scale.

In the Working with HTTP Status Codes and Headers section, you'll explore how to handle various HTTP responses, such as successful requests, client errors, and server errors. You'll learn to set and read custom HTTP headers, manage content negotiation, and implement proper error handling using JAX-RS exceptions. Practical exercises will reinforce your understanding of managing client-server communication effectively.

The Request and Response Handling module focuses on processing incoming requests and structuring responses in your RESTful service. You'll learn to use JAX-RS annotations to map request data to Java objects, manage different content types like JSON and XML, and utilize response builders to format your API outputs consistently.

Data Binding with JAXB and JSON covers how to serialize and deserialize data between Java objects and XML/JSON formats. You'll work with JAXB annotations for XML binding and explore libraries like Jackson for JSON processing. This module ensures that your RESTful services can communicate effectively with various data formats commonly used in web APIs.

Security in RESTful Services introduces authentication and authorization techniques to protect your APIs. You'll learn about basic and token-based authentication methods, securing endpoints using JAX-RS filters, and implementing role-based access control (RBAC). The module also covers HTTPS and securing data in transit, helping you build services that safeguard sensitive information.

The Asynchronous Processing module covers how to handle long-running tasks and improve the performance of your RESTful services using asynchronous methods. You'll learn to implement non-blocking operations in JAX-RS, enabling your APIs to respond faster and scale better under heavy loads.

Versioning and Documentation of RESTful Services teaches you how to version your APIs to manage changes over time. You'll learn strategies for URI versioning, content negotiation, and backward compatibility. This module also covers tools like Swagger for documenting your APIs, making it easier for developers to understand and integrate your services.

The course concludes with Advanced JAX-RS Features, where you'll explore features like filters, interceptors, and exception mapping. You'll also learn about hypermedia as the engine of application state (HATEOAS) and how to implement hypermedia-driven APIs. Practical exercises will help you apply these advanced concepts to build robust and flexible RESTful services.

By the end of this course, you'll have the skills to design, build, and maintain RESTful services using JAX-RS, enabling you to create scalable and secure APIs that integrate seamlessly with other applications. You'll be prepared to tackle real-world challenges in building RESTful web services and enhance your skills as a backend developer.