XML example with RESTEasy + JAXB

RESTEasy, is required JAXB to support XML file. In this tutorial, we show you how to create an “user” object, convert it into XML file, and return it back to the client.

1. RESTEasy + JAXB

To use JAXB in RESTEasy, you need to include the “resteasy-jaxb-provider.jar” dependency.

File : pom.xml

  <repositories>
    <repository>
        <id>JBoss repository</id>
        <url>https://repository.jboss.org/nexus/content/groups/public-jboss/</url>
    </repository>
  </repositories>

  <dependencies>

    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.jboss.resteasy</groupId>
        <artifactId>resteasy-jaxrs</artifactId>
        <version>2.2.1.GA</version>
    </dependency>

    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.jboss.resteasy</groupId>
        <artifactId>resteasy-jaxb-provider</artifactId>
        <version>2.2.0.GA</version>
    </dependency>

  </dependencies>

2. JAXB XML Provider

Create an object, annotate with JAXB annotation to support XML file conversion.

import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlAttribute;
import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlElement;
import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlRootElement;

@XmlRootElement(name = "user")
public class User {

    String username;
    String password;
    int pin;

    @XmlElement
    public String getUsername() {
        return username;
    }

    public void setUsername(String username) {
        this.username = username;
    }

    @XmlElement
    public String getPassword() {
        return password;
    }

    public void setPassword(String password) {
        this.password = password;
    }

    @XmlAttribute
    public int getPin() {
        return pin;
    }

    public void setPin(int pin) {
        this.pin = pin;
    }

}

With JAXB annotation, above object will convert it into following XML format.

  <user pin="value">
    <password>value</password>
    <username>value</username>
  </user>

3. JAX-RS

To return a XML file, annotate the service method with @Produces("application/xml"). RESTEasy will convert the JAXB annotated object into XML file, and return back to the client.

import javax.ws.rs.GET;
import javax.ws.rs.Path;
import javax.ws.rs.Produces;

@Path("/xml/user")
public class XMLService {

    @GET
    @Path("/get")
    @Produces("application/xml")
    public User getUserInXML() {

        User user = new User();
        user.setUsername("mkyong");
        user.setPassword("password");
        user.setPin(123456);

        return user; 

    }

}

3. Demo

When URI pattern “·/xml/user/get·” is requested, following XML file will be returned.

<user pin="123456">
    <password>password</password>
    <username>mkyong</username>
</user>