The Java API for XML Web Services (JAX-WS) is a vendor neutral specification for developing Web services using Java 5. It evolved from the Java API for XML-based RPC (JAX-RPC) specification and provides a number of benefits. Using JAX-WS prevents vendor lock in because it is a JCP standard. It also means your developers can work with a standardized, well-defined programming model.

The GUI tools provided by the Eclipse SOA Tools Platform project provide JAX-WS compliant code from WSDL contracts and help you develop applications using it. The GUI tools also provide a mechanism for generating a JAX-WS service from a Java object. The tools help identify which classes can be exposed and guides you in adding the proper annotations.

In addition to the GUI tools, Celtix Enterprise includes the command line tools provided by the Celtix Advanced Service Engine. The command line tools generate JAX-WS code from a WSDL and assist you in adding bindings and endpoint information into your WSDL. There are also tools for generating WSDL from properly annotated Java objects and from XML Schema documents.

For details on using the JAX-WS APIs see the Developing Applications Using JAX-WS