Create Java RESTful Client with Jersey Client

The objective of the document
Create Maven Project
Model Classes
Get JSON to String
Get JSON to Object
Get JSON to List
Get XML to String
Get XML to Object
Get XML to List
Post JSON
Post XML

1. The objective of the document

In this document I will guide you to create RESTful Java Client using Jersey Client API, and call to RESTful web service.

The examples in this document referred to RESTful Web service in the previous lesson, you can see here:

Simple CRUD example with Java RESTful Web Service

2. Create Maven Project

Make sure that your Project uses Java >= 1.6, because in this project will use the JAXB library, which was built in jdk6 or later.

Project Properties:

Jersey Client library declaration:

pom.xml

<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0"
    xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
    xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0
    http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
    
    <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>

    <groupId>org.o7planning</groupId>
    <artifactId>JerseyRESTClient</artifactId>
    <version>0.0.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
    <packaging>jar</packaging>

    <name>JerseyRESTClient</name>
    <url>http://maven.apache.org</url>

    <properties>
        <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
    </properties>

    <dependencies>
    
        <dependency>
            <groupId>junit</groupId>
            <artifactId>junit</artifactId>
            <version>3.8.1</version>
            <scope>test</scope>
        </dependency>


        <!-- https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/com.sun.jersey/jersey-client -->
        <dependency>
            <groupId>com.sun.jersey</groupId>
            <artifactId>jersey-client</artifactId>
            <version>1.19.2</version>
        </dependency>

        <!-- https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/com.sun.jersey/jersey-json -->
        <dependency>
            <groupId>com.sun.jersey</groupId>
            <artifactId>jersey-json</artifactId>
            <version>1.19.2</version>
        </dependency>

        <!-- https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/com.sun.jersey/jersey-bundle -->
        <dependency>
            <groupId>com.sun.jersey</groupId>
            <artifactId>jersey-bundle</artifactId>
            <version>1.19.2</version>
        </dependency>

    </dependencies>
    
</project>

3. Model Classes

By default, JAXB is the default XML-Binding used to convert a Java object into XML and vice versa, you need to attach JAXB Annotation to "model" classes.

And MOXy is the default JSON-Binding used to convert a Java object into JSON and vice versa, you do not have to attach any Annotation to "model" classes.

Employee.java

package org.o7planning.jerseyrestclient.model;

import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlAccessType;
import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlAccessorType;
import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlRootElement;

@XmlRootElement(name = "employee")
@XmlAccessorType(XmlAccessType.FIELD)
public class Employee {

  private String empNo;
  private String empName;
  private String position;

  // This default constructor is required if there are other constructors.
  public Employee() {

  }

  public Employee(String empNo, String empName, String position) {
      this.empNo = empNo;
      this.empName = empName;
      this.position = position;
  }

  public String getEmpNo() {
      return empNo;
  }

  public void setEmpNo(String empNo) {
      this.empNo = empNo;
  }

  public String getEmpName() {
      return empName;
  }

  public void setEmpName(String empName) {
      this.empName = empName;
  }

  public String getPosition() {
      return position;
  }

  public void setPosition(String position) {
      this.position = position;
  }


}

4. Get JSON to String

The following example creates a class, call to the RESTful Web Serivce to retrieve the data as JSON, the result returned is a String.

GetJsonAsString.java

package org.o7planning.jerseyrestclient;

import com.sun.jersey.api.client.Client;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.ClientResponse;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.WebResource;

public class GetJsonAsString {

 public static void main(String[] args) {

     // Create Client
     Client client = Client.create();

     WebResource webResource = client.resource("http://localhost:8080/RESTfulCRUD/rest/employees/E01");

     ClientResponse response = webResource.accept("application/json").get(ClientResponse.class);

     // Status 200 is successful.
     if (response.getStatus() != 200) {
         System.out.println("Failed with HTTP Error code: " + response.getStatus());
         String error= response.getEntity(String.class);
         System.out.println("Error: "+error);
         return;
     }

     String output = response.getEntity(String.class);

     System.out.println("Output from Server .... \n");
     System.out.println(output);
 }

}

5. Get JSON to Object

The following example, Jersey client convert JSON to Java objects.

GetJsonAsObject.java

package org.o7planning.jerseyrestclient;

import javax.ws.rs.core.MediaType;

import org.o7planning.jerseyrestclient.model.Employee;

import com.sun.jersey.api.client.Client;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.ClientResponse;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.WebResource;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.WebResource.Builder;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.config.ClientConfig;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.config.DefaultClientConfig;
import com.sun.jersey.api.json.JSONConfiguration;

public class GetJsonAsObject {

  public static void main(String[] args) {

      ClientConfig clientConfig = new DefaultClientConfig();

      // Create Client based on Config
      Client client = Client.create(clientConfig);

      WebResource webResource = client.resource("http://localhost:8080/RESTfulCRUD/rest/employees/E01");

      Builder builder = webResource.accept(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON) //
              .header("content-type", MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON);

      ClientResponse response = builder.get(ClientResponse.class);

      // Status 200 is successful.
      if (response.getStatus() != 200) {
          System.out.println("Failed with HTTP Error code: " + response.getStatus());
         String error= response.getEntity(String.class);
         System.out.println("Error: "+error);
          return;
      }

      System.out.println("Output from Server .... \n");

      Employee employee = (Employee) response.getEntity(Employee.class);

      System.out.println("Emp No .... " + employee.getEmpNo());
      System.out.println("Emp Name .... " + employee.getEmpName());
      System.out.println("Position .... " + employee.getPosition());

  }

}

6. Get JSON to List

Jersey can convert a JSON into a List.

RESTful Web Service example returns a List of objects.

@Path("/employees")
public class EmployeeService {

   // URI:
   // /contextPath/servletPath/employees
   @GET
   @Produces({ MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON, MediaType.APPLICATION_XML })
   public List<Employee> getEmployees() {
       List<Employee> listOfCountries = EmployeeDAO.getAllEmployees();
       return listOfCountries;
   }

}

Client example:

GetJsonAsList.java

package org.o7planning.jerseyrestclient;

import java.util.List;

import javax.ws.rs.core.MediaType;

import org.o7planning.jerseyrestclient.model.Employee;

import com.sun.jersey.api.client.Client;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.ClientResponse;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.GenericType;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.WebResource;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.WebResource.Builder;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.config.ClientConfig;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.config.DefaultClientConfig;

public class GetJsonAsList {

  public static void main(String[] args) {

      ClientConfig clientConfig = new DefaultClientConfig();

      // Create Client based on Config
      Client client = Client.create(clientConfig);

      WebResource webResource = client.resource("http://localhost:8080/RESTfulCRUD/rest/employees");

      Builder builder = webResource.accept(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON) //
              .header("content-type", MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON);

      ClientResponse response = builder.get(ClientResponse.class);

      // Status 200 is successful.
      if (response.getStatus() != 200) {
          System.out.println("Failed with HTTP Error code: " + response.getStatus());
         String error= response.getEntity(String.class);
         System.out.println("Error: "+error);
          return;
      }

      GenericType<List<Employee>> generic = new GenericType<List<Employee>>() {
          // No thing
      };

      List<Employee> list = response.getEntity(generic);

      System.out.println("Output from Server .... \n");

      for (Employee emp : list) {
          System.out.println(" --- ");
          System.out.println("Emp No .... " + emp.getEmpNo());
          System.out.println("Emp Name .... " + emp.getEmpName());
          System.out.println("Position .... " + emp.getPosition());
      }

  }

}

Running the example:

7. Get XML to String

GetXmlAsString.java

package org.o7planning.jerseyrestclient;

import com.sun.jersey.api.client.Client;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.ClientResponse;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.WebResource;

public class GetXmlAsString {

  public static void main(String[] args) {

      // Create Client
      Client client = Client.create();

      WebResource webResource = client.resource("http://localhost:8080/RESTfulCRUD/rest/employees/E01");

      ClientResponse response = webResource.accept("application/xml").get(ClientResponse.class);

      // Status 200 is successful.
      if (response.getStatus() != 200) {
          System.out.println("Failed with HTTP Error code: " + response.getStatus());
         String error= response.getEntity(String.class);
         System.out.println("Error: "+error);
          return;
      }

      String output = response.getEntity(String.class);

      System.out.println("Output from Server .... \n");
      System.out.println(output);
  }

}

8. Get XML to Object

GetXmlAsObject.java

package org.o7planning.jerseyrestclient;

import javax.ws.rs.core.MediaType;

import org.o7planning.jerseyrestclient.model.Employee;

import com.sun.jersey.api.client.Client;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.ClientResponse;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.WebResource;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.WebResource.Builder;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.config.ClientConfig;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.config.DefaultClientConfig;

public class GetXmlAsObject {

  public static void main(String[] args) {

      ClientConfig clientConfig = new DefaultClientConfig();

      // Create Client based on Config
      Client client = Client.create(clientConfig);

      WebResource webResource = client.resource("http://localhost:8080/RESTfulCRUD/rest/employees/E01");

      Builder builder = webResource.accept(MediaType.APPLICATION_XML) //
              .header("content-type", MediaType.APPLICATION_XML);

      ClientResponse response = builder.get(ClientResponse.class);

      // Status 200 is successful.
      if (response.getStatus() != 200) {
          System.out.println("Failed with HTTP Error code: " + response.getStatus());
         String error= response.getEntity(String.class);
         System.out.println("Error: "+error);
          return;
      }

      System.out.println("Output from Server .... \n");

      Employee employee = (Employee) response.getEntity(Employee.class);

      System.out.println("Emp No .... " + employee.getEmpNo());
      System.out.println("Emp Name .... " + employee.getEmpName());
      System.out.println("Position .... " + employee.getPosition());

  }

}

9. Get XML to List

RESTful Web Service example returns a List of objects.

@Path("/employees")
public class EmployeeService {

  // URI:
  // /contextPath/servletPath/employees
  @GET
  @Produces({ MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON, MediaType.APPLICATION_XML })
  public List<Employee> getEmployees() {
      List<Employee> listOfCountries = EmployeeDAO.getAllEmployees();
      return listOfCountries;
  }

}

GetXmlAsList.java

package org.o7planning.jerseyrestclient;

import java.util.List;

import javax.ws.rs.core.MediaType;

import org.o7planning.jerseyrestclient.model.Employee;

import com.sun.jersey.api.client.Client;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.ClientResponse;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.GenericType;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.WebResource;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.WebResource.Builder;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.config.ClientConfig;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.config.DefaultClientConfig;

public class GetXmlAsList {

   public static void main(String[] args) {

       ClientConfig clientConfig = new DefaultClientConfig();

       // Create Client based on Config
       Client client = Client.create(clientConfig);

       WebResource webResource = client.resource("http://localhost:8080/RESTfulCRUD/rest/employees");

       Builder builder = webResource.accept(MediaType.APPLICATION_XML) //
               .header("content-type", MediaType.APPLICATION_XML);

       ClientResponse response = builder.get(ClientResponse.class);

       // Status 200 is successful.
       if (response.getStatus() != 200) {
           System.out.println("Failed with HTTP Error code: " + response.getStatus());
         String error= response.getEntity(String.class);
         System.out.println("Error: "+error);
           return;
       }

       GenericType<List<Employee>> generic = new GenericType<List<Employee>>() {
           // No thing
       };

       List<Employee> list = response.getEntity(generic);

       System.out.println("Output from Server .... \n");

       for (Employee emp : list) {
           System.out.println(" --- ");
           System.out.println("Emp No .... " + emp.getEmpNo());
           System.out.println("Emp Name .... " + emp.getEmpName());
           System.out.println("Position .... " + emp.getPosition());
       }

   }

}

10. Post JSON

Use the POST request to a Web serivce to create new Employee.

PostJsonString.java

package org.o7planning.jerseyrestclient;

import com.sun.jersey.api.client.Client;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.ClientResponse;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.WebResource;

public class PostJsonString {

    public static void main(String[] args) {

        Client client = Client.create();

        WebResource webResource = client.resource("http://localhost:8080/RESTfulCRUD/rest/employees");

        // Data send to web service.
        String input = "{\"empNo\":\"E01\",\"empName\":\"New Emp1\",\"position\":\"Manager\"}";

       
        ClientResponse response = webResource.type("application/json").post(ClientResponse.class, input);

        if (response.getStatus() != 200) {
            System.out.println("Failed : HTTP error code : " + response.getStatus());
           
            String error= response.getEntity(String.class);
            System.out.println("Error: "+error);
            return;
        }

        System.out.println("Output from Server .... \n");
       
        String output = response.getEntity(String.class);
       
        System.out.println(output);

    }

}

Running the example:

Jersey Client can automatically convert a Java object into JSON or XML to send with request.

PostJsonObject.java

package org.o7planning.jerseyrestclient;

import org.o7planning.jerseyrestclient.model.Employee;

import com.sun.jersey.api.client.Client;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.ClientResponse;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.WebResource;

public class PostJsonObject {

    public static void main(String[] args) {

        Client client = Client.create();

        WebResource webResource = client.resource("http://localhost:8080/RESTfulCRUD/rest/employees");

        // This object will be automatically converted into JSON
        Employee newEmp = new Employee("E05", "New Emp1", "Manager");

        ClientResponse response = webResource.type("application/json").post(ClientResponse.class, newEmp);

        if (response.getStatus() != 200) {
            System.out.println("Failed : HTTP error code : " + response.getStatus());

            String error = response.getEntity(String.class);
            System.out.println("Error: " + error);
            return;
        }

        System.out.println("Output from Server .... \n");

        String output = response.getEntity(String.class);

        System.out.println(output);

    }

}

11. Post XML

PostXmlString.java

package org.o7planning.jerseyrestclient;

import com.sun.jersey.api.client.Client;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.ClientResponse;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.WebResource;

public class PostXmlString {

  public static void main(String[] args) {

      Client client = Client.create();

      WebResource webResource = client.resource("http://localhost:8080/RESTfulCRUD/rest/employees");

      // Data send to web service.
      String input = "<employee>"//
                      + "<empNo>E05</empNo>"//
                      + "<empName>New Emp1</empName>"//
                      + "<position>Manager</position>"
                      + "</employee>";

       // Send XML and receive XML
       ClientResponse response = webResource.type("application/xml")//
               .accept("application/xml")//
               .post(ClientResponse.class, input);

      if (response.getStatus() != 200) {
          System.out.println("Failed : HTTP error code : " + response.getStatus());

          String error = response.getEntity(String.class);
          System.out.println("Error: " + error);
          return;
      }

      System.out.println("Output from Server .... \n");

      String output = response.getEntity(String.class);

      System.out.println(output);

  }

}

Jersey Client can automatically convert a Java object into JSON or XML to send with request.

PostXmlObject.java

package org.o7planning.jerseyrestclient;

import org.o7planning.jerseyrestclient.model.Employee;

import com.sun.jersey.api.client.Client;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.ClientResponse;
import com.sun.jersey.api.client.WebResource;

public class PostXmlObject {

    public static void main(String[] args) {

        Client client = Client.create();

        WebResource webResource = client.resource("http://localhost:8080/RESTfulCRUD/rest/employees");

        // This object will be automatically converted into XML
        Employee newEmp = new Employee("E05", "New Emp1", "Manager");

        // Send XML and receive XML
        ClientResponse response = webResource.type("application/xml")//
                .accept("application/xml") //
                .post(ClientResponse.class, newEmp);

        if (response.getStatus() != 200) {
            System.out.println("Failed : HTTP error code : " + response.getStatus());

            String error = response.getEntity(String.class);
            System.out.println("Error: " + error);
            return;
        }

        System.out.println("Output from Server .... \n");

        String output = response.getEntity(String.class);

        System.out.println(output);

    }

}