JAX-RS Annotations Explained

In this example we shall learn some important JAX-RS annotations. To understand this tutorial, following is the prerequisite knowledge required:

1. Basic knowledge of how to use annotations
2. Basic REST Architecture

1. JAX-RS Annotations

1.1 @Path

@Path annotation defines the URI or the relative path of the JAX-RS method. Following is the sample usage of @Path annotation.

PathAnnotation.java

package com.javacodegeeks.examples.rest.annotations;

import java.util.List;

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

import com.javacodegeeks.examples.rest.entites.Author;

public class PathAnnotation {

	@GET
	@Produces("application/xml")
	@Path("javacodegeeks/authors")
	public List getAuthors() {
		// TODO: Code for returning list of authors
		return null;
	}
}

1.2 @PathParam

This annotation is used to bind the parameter passed in the URI to the parameter in the REST method. Following is the example usage of @PathParam annotation.

PathParamAnnotation.java

package com.javacodegeeks.examples.rest.annotations;

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

import com.javacodegeeks.examples.rest.entites.Author;

public class PathParamAnnotation {
	@GET
	@Produces("application/json")
	@Path("javacodegeeks/authors/{id}")
	public Author getAuthor(@PathParam("id") int id) {
		// TODO: Code for returning author by id
		return null;
	}
}

In the above code snippet parameter in curly braces is mapped to method parameter using @PathParam annotation.

1.3 @GET

@GET annotation specifies that the HTTP GET request shall be served by this method. Following is the example usage.

GetAnnotation.java

package com.javacodegeeks.examples.rest.annotations;

import java.util.List;

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

import com.javacodegeeks.examples.rest.entites.Author;

public class GetAnnotation {
	@GET
	@Produces("application/xml")
	@Path("javacodegeeks/authors")
	public List getAuthors() {
		// TODO: Code for returning list of authors
		return null;
	}
}

1.4 @POST

@POST annotation specifies that the HTTP POST request shall be served by this method. Following is the example usage.

PostAnnotation.java

package com.javacodegeeks.examples.rest.annotations;

import javax.ws.rs.Consumes;
import javax.ws.rs.POST;

import com.javacodegeeks.examples.rest.entites.Author;

public class PostAnnotation {
	@POST
	@Consumes("application/json")
	public void addAuthor(Author contact) {
		//TODO: Code to store author
	}
}

1.5 @PUT

@PUT annotation corresponds to HTTP PUT method. Following is the sample usage of @PUT annotation.

PutAnnotation.java

package com.javacodegeeks.examples.rest.annotations;

import javax.ws.rs.Consumes;
import javax.ws.rs.PUT;

import com.javacodegeeks.examples.rest.entites.Author;

public class PutAnnotation {
	@PUT
	@Consumes("application/json")
	public void updateAuthor(Author contact) {
		//TODO: Code to update or add author
	}
}

1.6 @DELETE

@DELETE annotation corresponds to HTTP DELETE method. Following is the sample usage of @DELETE annotation.

DeleteAnnotation.java

package com.javacodegeeks.examples.rest.annotations;

import javax.ws.rs.DELETE;
import javax.ws.rs.Path;
import javax.ws.rs.PathParam;

public class DeleteAnnotation {
	@DELETE
	@Path("javacodegeeks/authors/{id}")
	public void deleteAuthor(@PathParam("id") int id) {
		//TODO: Delete author with id passed as PathParam
	}
}

1.7 @Consumes

@Consumes annotation defines the MIME media type of resource sent by client which a REST method consumes. Following is the sample usage of @Consumes annotation.

ConsumesAnnotation.java

package com.javacodegeeks.examples.rest.annotations;

import javax.ws.rs.Consumes;
import javax.ws.rs.POST;

import com.javacodegeeks.examples.rest.entites.Author;

public class HeadAnnotation {
	@POST
	@Consumes("application/json")
	public void addAuthor(Author contact) {
		//TODO: Code to store author
	}
}

In the above code snippet, REST method is consuming resource having MIME type JSON.

1.8 @Produces

@Produces annotation specifies the MIME media type of resource that is sent back to client as a return response of REST method. Following is the sample usage of @Produces annotation.

ProducesAnnotation.java

package com.javacodegeeks.examples.rest.annotations;

import java.util.List;

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

import com.javacodegeeks.examples.rest.entites.Author;

public class ProducesAnnotation {
	@GET
	@Produces("application/json")
	@Path("javacodegeeks/authors")
	public List getAuthors() {
		// TODO: Code for returning list of authors
		return null;
	}
}

In the above code snippet, REST method is returning response having MIME type JSON.

1.9 @QueryParam

@QueryParam annotation is used to extract out query parameters from the request URI. Following is the sample usage of @QueryParam annotation.

QueryParamAnnotation.java

package com.javacodegeeks.examples.rest.annotations;

import java.util.List;

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

import com.javacodegeeks.examples.rest.entites.Author;

public class QueryParamAnnotation {
	@GET
	@Produces("application/json")
	@Path("javacodegeeks/authors")
	public List getAuthor(@QueryParam("name") String name, @QueryParam("age") int age) {
		// TODO: Calculate and return list of authors which match the criteria
		// of age and name
		return null;
	}
}

2. Download the source code

This tutorial explained some of the  most important JAX-RS annotations.

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