Developing Web Services with Java APIs for XML (JAX Pack) with CDROM

The Holy War between Microsoft Corporation and Sun Microsystems is heating up as Sun unveils JAX Pack to compete with Microsoft's .NET initiative
JAX Pack is an all-in-one development kit that utilizes XML to build cross platform Web services. For companies that are developing Web services to collaborate with business partners, JAX Pack offers a faster way to develop applications while maintaining independence from any particular vendor's XML technologies.
Developing Web Services with Java APIs for XML (JAX Pack) provides exhaustive coverage of Sun's recently released JAX Pack. The book assumes that readers are experienced Java developers with a solid understanding of XML. As such, the book contains five parts covering each component of JAX Pack.

JAX Pack is a major product release for the most popular Web development environment
First book out covering all five components of JAX Pack (JAXP, JAXR, JAXM, JAXB, and JAX-RPC)
Unrivalled Web-based support with solutions@syngress.com; up-to-the minute links, white papers and analysis for one year

User review
An overview of basic topics, but fails for anything beyond
I've gone through several web services books looking for information about SOAP with Attachments. When I got to this book, I was surprised that it was actually giving incorrect information. Regarding SwA it says that binary data can't be sent inside of XML, so you need to use SOAP with Attachments (pg. 208). This is completely wrong, since binary data can be embedded in XML.

The book was already written pretty poorly before I got to this part. Once I hit this part, I knew this book was bad. The author obviously does not know much about XML, so how could you trust him/her on any uses of XML?

I give this a 2 over a 1 just because it does cover the very basics.

User review
Shallow introduction to Java Web services
This book is essentially a rewrite of the free Java Web Services Developer Pack Tutorial from Sun. The book's writing is clear and the explanations are good but the text covers only introductory level topics. I expect a good textbook to go into a topic in depth, to point out problem areas, advanced techniques and the `gotchas` of a library (e.g., Jason Hunter's excellent `Java Servlet Programming`). All the screenshots and double-spaced code examples hide the fact that there's not much information here.

The security chapter has nothing to do with Web services at all but is an introduction to JSSE; nice, but not what I paid for.

Also, one of the book's advertised features is a web site with an `Ask the Author` section but I never got a response to either of my questions.

Deitel's `Java Web Services` is a far better choice.

User review
Quick start for JAX in JWSDP environments
Developers who are either new to, or considering using, the Java Web Services Developer Pack will find this book to be one of the best guides to get productive in or familiar with this environment.

The book is a comprehensive examination of web services development using the JAX Pack (Java XML Pack) part of the environment, covering processing XML documents with SAX and DOM, XML transformations, using the JSP Standard Tag Library, writing SOAP clients and servers, using XML-based RPCs, web services locators, and Java SSL. In addition the book covers installing and using JWSDP tools in the Windows NT and Linux environments.

Aside from way the book provides you with a fast start, it is also exceptionally well written and laid out. I like the use of screenshots, tables and code examples that are on practically every page. These make learning the JAX part of JWSDP, as well as learning the basics of JWSDP itself, a lot easier than going through the volumes of Sun's documentation. Plus, you're stepped through developing practical artifacts, such as a SOAP client and servlets, and SAX and DOM parsers (among other useful components).

The publisher also does something I've not before seen - the book comes with a 1-year upgrade plan that provides monthly mailings and additional material when you register the book.

About half the book is about using JAX and JWSDP, and the other half is about actual development. If you are looking for a book that strictly focuses on coding and code you may not be 100% satisfied, but if you want to jump start yourself or a team this is an ideal book for that goal.