JSON

[Ash Shah]

Anybody have some good resources for JSON and WebServices - I can find information on JSON but anything on how that relates to Web Services.

I especially want anything that is relevant to the following objectives...

- Describe the characteristics of JSON Web Services
- Compare SOAP web services to JSON web services

Thanks

[Ivan Krizsan]

Hi!
Here are some suggestions:

Describe the characteristics of JSON web services:
JSON web services are web services that uses the JSON encoding format instead of, for instance, XML. Such web services can be JAX-WS web services or REST web services.
REST web services typically allow for the resource representation to be in a format selected by the client at the time of the request. Possible formats include XML, JSON etc.

Some characteristics of web services (REST and JAX-WS) that use JSON are:

JSON text can be dynamically executed as JavaScript.
Depending on the circumstances, this might be an asset or a risk.

Minimizes the size of the data.
JSON is not as verbose as XML while retaining some of the flexibility and extensibility.

JSON web services cannot use the web security mechanisms that requires SOAP header blocks.

SOAP Web Services vs JSON Web Services
JSON web services are more appropriate when:

Serializing simpler data structures, as opposed to documents like web pages etc.
In the latter case XML or some other format may be more appropriate.

Clients are AJAX clients.

Bandwidth usage needs to be minimized.

Validation of the format and contents of the data is not required.
As of writing, there is a JSON schema proposal and, at least, a JavaScript implementation of a validator.

SOAP web services are more appropriate when:

You want to ensure that the data returned by the web service can not be evaluated as JavaScript (security issue).

The format, and to some extent the contents, of the data sent to and received from the web service needs to be validated.
XML schema enables this.

Better tooling is required.

Reuse of existing data structure definitions is desired.

Web service security involving encryption of part(s) of messages, handling different parts of a messages in different ways, end-to-end security and not only transport layer encryption.

[Ash Shah]

Thanks Navi! For a while there I thought I was talking to myself on this forum!

[Ivan Krizsan]

For a while there I thought I was talking to myself on this forum!

I know what you mean, it is easy to get that feeling...