EclipseLink MOXy and the Java API for JSON Processing - Object Model APIs

The Java API for JSON Processing (JSR-353) is the Java standard for producing and consuming JSON which was introduced as part of Java EE 7.  JSR-353 includes object (DOM like) and stream (StAX like) APIs.  In this post I will demonstrate the initial JSR-353 support we have added to MOXy's JSON binding in EclipseLink 2.6.  You can now use MOXy to marshal to:

• javax.json.JsonArrayBuilder
• javax.json.JsonObjectBuilder

 And unmarshal from:

• javax.json.JsonStructure
• javax.json.JsonObject
• javax.json.JsonArray

You can try this out today using a nightly build of EclipseLink 2.6.0:

• http://www.eclipse.org/eclipselink/downloads/nightly.php

The JSR-353 reference implementation is available here:

• https://java.net/projects/jsonp/downloads/download/ri/javax.json-ri-1.0.zip

Oracle WebLogic 12.1.2 Now With EclipseLink MOXy JSON-Binding

Oracle WebLogic 12.1.2 is now available.  WebLogic 12.1.2 contains EclipseLink 2.4.2, this means that for the first time EclipseLink MOXy's JSON-binding is available in WebLogic out of the box.  I will demonstrate the benefits of using MOXy for JSON-binding with an example.

Mapping Bad XML - Enumerated Collection Elements

In a previous post I introduced EclipseLink JAXB (MOXy)'s @XmlVariableNode extension.  In this post I'll demonstrate how @XmlVariableNode could be leveraged to handle an interesting question I came across on Stack Overflow.  In that question instead of a collection being represented with an element that appeared multiple times, the element name contained the index.  While I would never recommend structuring your XML document this way sometimes you encounter it and need to be able to map it.

MOXy's @XmlVariableNode - Using a Map's Key as the Node Name

People often ask me how they can map a java.util.Map such that the keys become the node names.  In this post I will demonstrate how this can be done using the new Variable Node mapping that we have added in EclipseLink MOXy.

You can try this out today using a nightly build of EclipseLink 2.6.0:

• http://www.eclipse.org/eclipselink/downloads/nightly.php

MOXy's @XmlVariableNode - JSON Schema Example

We are in the process of adding the ability to generate a JSON Schema from your domain model to EclipseLink MOXy.  To accomplish this we have created a new Variable Node mapping. In this post I will demonstrate the new mapping by mapping a Java model to a JSON Schema.

You can try this out today using a nightly build of EclipseLink 2.6.0:

• http://www.eclipse.org/eclipselink/downloads/nightly.php

MOXy is the New Default JSON-Binding Provider in GlassFish 4

GlassFish 4 is now available offering the complete Java EE 7 (JSR-342) platform.  EclipseLink made some major contributions to this release.  The first is providing the JPA 2.1 (JSR-338) implementation.  The second which I'll cover in this post is EclipseLink MOXy is now the default JSON-binding provider for JAX-RS applications.

EclipseLink 2.5 Release Available for Download

On behalf of the MOXy JAXB committers (great job by all), I am very proud to announce that EclipseLink 2.5 has been released and is available for download.  In this post I will summarize what is new in the MOXy component.  For details on the entire release see the following link:

• http://www.eclipse.org/eclipselink/releases/2.5.php

How to Get EclipseLink 2.5

You can download the EclipseLink install from:

• http://www.eclipse.org/eclipselink/downloads/

EclipseLink 2.5 is also available from Maven Central (see http://wiki.eclipse.org/EclipseLink/Maven):

<dependency>
    <groupId>org.eclipse.persistence</groupId>
    <artifactId>org.eclipse.persistence.moxy</artifactId>
    <version>2.5.0</version>
 </dependency>

Customizing EclipseLink JPA-RS Messages with MOXy

In a previous post I covered how EclipseLink JPA-RS can be used to expose a JPA persistence unit as a RESTful service.  In that example we interacted with the default message formats.  Since JPA-RS leverages MOXy for its XML and JSON binding we can use MOXy to customize the messages.  In this post I will demonstrate how this is done.

MOXy's Object Graphs - Handling Inheritance

In previous posts we have explored how object graphs can be defined through metadata and programatically.  In this post I'll demonstrate the impact of inheritance in your domain model on how you define object graphs.

You can try this out today by downloading an EclipseLink 2.5.0 nightly download starting on March 24, 2013 from:

• http://www.eclipse.org/eclipselink/downloads/nightly.php

MOXy and JSON with Padding

JSON with padding is a communication mechanism used in JavaScript to overcome restrictions due to the same origin policy (for more information see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JSONP).  In this post I will demonstrate how to leverage JSON with padding when using MOXy as your JSON provider.

This functionality is new in EclipseLink 2.5.0 (and 2.4.2), you can try it out today using a nightly build available from:

• http://www.eclipse.org/eclipselink/downloads/nightly.php

MOXy's Object Graphs & Dynamic JAXB

JAXB (JSR-222) makes it easy for you to convert instances of your domain classes to/from XML.  The EclipseLink MOXy implementation offers an extension called Dynamic JAXB where instead of real classes you have instances of a map like class called DynamicEntity. You can access the data on your DynamicEntity using get and set methods that take the property name (i.e. customer.get("address") and customer.set('name", "Jane Doe").

In this post, first we will bootstrap a dynamic JAXBContext based on an external mapping file.  Then we unmarshal an XML document to dynamic entities, and finally we will apply an object graph to scope the resulting JSON output.

You can try this out today by downloading an EclipseLink 2.5.0 nightly download starting on March 24, 2013 from:

• http://www.eclipse.org/eclipselink/downloads/nightly.php

MOXy's Object Graphs - Partial Models on the Fly to/from XML & JSON

In a previous post I introduced how MOXy's Object Graph feature allows you to input and output partial models.  In that example I demonstrated how to define a partial model via metadata.  In this example we will create the object graphs programmatically.  This gives you additional flexibility when you need to create one on the fly.

You can try this out today by downloading an EclipseLink 2.5.0 nightly download starting on March 24, 2013 from:

• http://www.eclipse.org/eclipselink/downloads/nightly.php

MOXy's Object Graphs - Input/Output Partial Models to XML & JSON

Suppose you have a domain model that you want to expose as a RESTful service.  The problem is you only want to input/output part of your data.  Previously you would have created a separate model representing  the subset and then have code to move data between the models.  In EclipseLink 2.5.0 we have a new feature called Object Graphs that enables you to easily define partial views on your model.

You can try this out today by downloading an EclipseLink 2.5.0 nightly download starting on March 24, 2013 from:

• http://www.eclipse.org/eclipselink/downloads/nightly.php

Binding to JSON & XML - Handling Collections

One of EclipseLink JAXB (MOXy)'s strengths is the ability to map an object model to both JSON and XML with a single set of metadata.  The one weakness had been that you needed to compromise on the JSON key or XML element for collection properties.  I'm happy to say that this issue has been solved in EclipseLink 2.5 (and EclipseLink 2.4.2), and I will demonstrate below with an example.

You can try this out today by downloading an EclipseLink 2.5.0 (or EclipseLink 2.4.2) nightly build starting on March 15, 2013 from:

• http://www.eclipse.org/eclipselink/downloads/nightly.php

MOXy's @XmlInverseReference is now Truly Bidirectional

EclipseLink JAXB (MOXy)'s @XmlInverseReference annotation enables you to map a back pointer during the unmarshal operation (useful when mapping JPA entities).  The problem was it acted like @XmlTransient during the marshal operation.  This means that previously it could only be used in one direction.  Now I'm happy to announce in EclipseLink 2.5.0 we have expanded @XmlInverseReference so that the corresponding property may be writeable enabling it to be used in both directions.

You can try this out today by downloading one EclipseLink 2.5.0 nightly downloads starting on March 1, 2013 from:

• http://www.eclipse.org/eclipselink/downloads/nightly.php

Leveraging MOXy in your Web Service via JAX-WS Provider

In previous articles I demonstrated how EclipseLink JAXB (MOXy) is directly integrated into the JAX-WS implementations in WebLogic (as of 12.1.1) and in GlassFish (as of 3.1.2).  In this post I'll demonstrate how to leverage MOXy in any application server by using the JAX-WS Provider class.

Updating EclipseLink in WebLogic

JSON binding was added to EclipseLink in version 2.4.  If you are using a version of that does not contain this version (i.e. WebLogic 10.3.4 (11g) contains EclipseLink 2.1.2), then by default you won't have access to this functionality. The recommended solution to this problem is to create a shared library in WebLogic for the newer release of EclipseLink.

EclipseLink 2.4 Release Available for Download

On behalf of the MOXy JAXB committers (great job by all), I am very proud to announce that EclipseLink 2.4 has been released and is available for download.  In this post I will summarize what is new in the MOXy component:

• http://www.eclipse.org/eclipselink/releases/2.4.php
• http://www.eclipse.org/eclipselink/downloads/

MOXy as Your JAX-RS JSON Provider - MOXyJsonProvider

In a previous post I demonstrated how you can implement a MessageBodyReader/MessageBodyWriter to leverage  EclipseLink JAXB (MOXy)'s JSON binding in a JAX-RS service.   MOXy now includes an implementation (MOXyJsonProvider) that can be used directly or extended to make the integration even easier.

Extending JAXB - Representing Metadata as JSON

In previous posts I have described the XML mapping document and JSON-binding extensions in EclipseLink JAXB (MOXy).   Since MOXy has a JAXB model for its mapping document we were able to eat our own dog food, and now MOXy offers a JSON mapping document.

An external metadata representation is useful when:

• You cannot modify the domain model (it may come from a 3rd party).
• You do not want to introduce compile dependencies on JAXB APIs (if you are using a version of Java prior to Java SE 6).
• You want to apply multiple JAXB mappings to a domain model (you are limited to one representation with annotations).
• Your object model already contains so many annotations from other technologies that adding more would make the class unreadable.