Web services creation and consumption

Question

I'd like to learn how to create a java web service that can be consumed by a web tier, which is constituted of java and flex.

1. What books can help me learn how to create a java web service and consume it via java & flex?
2. Should I look to build a web service from scratch or from frameworks like: XFire, Axis, CXF, Spring Web Services, etc.?
3. If using a framework is recommended, which of the above or any others makes the most sense to learn/use?

EDIT: Both the java AND flex components of the web tier need to independently access the web service. For example, the flex component helps the user create & save a spreadsheet; the java component retrieves the spreadsheet data and displays it accordingly.

Answer 1

Flex should do the job: Web Services with Flex tutorial

Answer 2

You may not need a web service. Your Flex app can consume Java POJOs directly using Spring and BlazeDS.

Answer 3

What kind of a service are we looking at? If it requires database integration you probably need at least some kind of a framework - you really don't want to be putting your SQL queries hard coded into the app. Spring + Hibernate seems to be one of the most popular choices for a Java server implementation, but both of them are quite massive and require some effort. Appfuse could be something that provides a good starting point for building a service.

Why do you want to do your service with Java anyway? Is this because you know only Java or because there is a Java container already running on your server? I've seen great results with Ruby on Rails too and now there's some buzz about Scala too in the Java world. This could be your chance to try out something new and more flexible ;)

Answer 4

I'll take this opportunity to plug my own book, Eclipse Web Tools Platform: Developing Java Web Applications. Chapter 10 deals exclusively with creating Java Web services. Although the examples are all shown using WTP tooling the lessons discuss Java Web services created with Apache Axis.