adam bien's blog

Simplest Possible REST Endpoint 📎

The following GET-request: 

http://localhost:8080/hello-rest/resources/message
invokes the method whatever: 

import javax.ws.rs.GET;
import javax.ws.rs.Path;

@Path("message")
public class MessageResource {
    @GET
    public String whatever() {
        return "hey, duke!";
    }
}
from a WAR with th name hello-rest and configured application path: 

import javax.ws.rs.ApplicationPath;
import javax.ws.rs.core.Application;

@ApplicationPath("resources")
public class JAXRSConfiguration extends Application {}
You only need a single dependency to compile the sample: 

<dependency>
	<groupId>javax</groupId>
	<artifactId>javaee-api</artifactId>
	<version>7.0</version>
	<scope>provided</scope>
</dependency>
  1. No further configuration is required
  2. No XML is involved (web.xml is not needed)
  3. The size of the hello-rest.war is 3.2 kB
  4. Deployment takes milliseconds
Optional speedup: Java EE 7 essential archetype would create an empty maven project for you.

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