Java XML Tutorial

XML example with Jersey + JAXB

This tutorial show you how to use JAXB to convert object to XML in Jersey, and return it back to user.

1. Dependency

To integrate JAXB with Jersey, no extra dependency is required. Just include “jersey-server.jar” will do.

2. JAXB Annotation

Annotate object with JAXB annotation, for conversion later.


import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlAttribute;
import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlElement;
import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlRootElement;

@XmlRootElement(name = "customer")
public class Customer {

	String name;
	int pin;

	@XmlElement
	public String getName() {
		return name;
	}

	public void setName(String name) {
		this.name = name;
	}

	@XmlAttribute
	public int getPin() {
		return pin;
	}

	public void setPin(int pin) {
		this.pin = pin;
	}

}

Above object will convert into following XML format.


  <customer pin="value">
	<name>value</name>
  </customer>

3. Jersey and XML

To return a XML file, annotate the method with @Produces(MediaType.APPLICATION_XML). Jersey will convert the JAXB annotated object into XML file automatically.


import javax.ws.rs.GET;
import javax.ws.rs.Path;
import javax.ws.rs.PathParam;
import javax.ws.rs.Produces;
import javax.ws.rs.core.MediaType;
import com.mkyong.Customer;

@Path("/xml/customer")
public class XMLService {

	@GET
	@Path("/{pin}")
	@Produces(MediaType.APPLICATION_XML)
	public Customer getCustomerInXML(@PathParam("pin") int pin) {

		Customer customer = new Customer();
		customer.setName("mkyong");
		customer.setPin(pin);

		return customer;

	}

}

4. Demo

When URI pattern “xml/customer/{param value}” is requested, a formatted XML file will be returned.

URL : http://localhost:8080/RESTfulExample/rest/xml/customer/999

xml and jersey

Download Source Code

Download it – XML-Support-Jersey-Example.zip (6 KB)

References

  1. JAXB Official Website
  2. XML support in Jersey

About Author

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Founder of Mkyong.com, love Java and open source stuff. Follow him on Twitter. If you like my tutorials, consider make a donation to these charities.

Comments

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George
12 years ago

How would you use a post method on the client side? to post xml, I only find post json.

Thanks

Jesse Zhou
7 years ago

Instead of manually creating the values, how can you get the values from a API/URI?

Amber
7 years ago

Any advice on how to set this up in terms of dependencies or registering any features? I’m getting an exception: org.glassfish.jersey.message.internal.MessageBodyProviderNotFoundException: MessageBodyWriter not found for media type=application/xml

barrenaedu
6 years ago
Reply to  Amber

org.glassfish.jersey.media
jersey-media-jaxb
${jersey.version}

barrenaedu
6 years ago
Reply to  barrenaedu

Previous comment is a maven dependency to fix the problem

Hashim
6 years ago
Reply to  Amber

Hello did you got the answer for the issue?

varun
7 years ago

how to convert xml to java object example in jersey

Rajvi
10 years ago

Hi,
I found this tutorials very helpful,
but I have a question that
suppose I want this kind of output for xml than how can I do???

means I want attributes in subelement using ur technique to generate xml authomatically..
I know how to generate it mannually.

Rajvi
10 years ago
Reply to  Rajvi

#customer pin=”value”#
#Name name=”name”/#
#/customer#

Manish Sharma
8 years ago
Reply to  Rajvi

This can be achieved by addin reference of another class in main class (rool element for xml). Here is sample snippet of code:

package org.msharma.jaxrs.jersey.l5;

import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlAttribute;

import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlElement;

import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlRootElement;

import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlValue;

@XmlRootElement(name=”student”)

public class Student2 {

private int id;

private Firstname firstName;

private String lastName;

private int age;

public Student2(){ }

public Student2(String firstname, String lastName, int age, int id){

firstName= new Firstname();

firstName.setFname(firstname);

firstName.setDesc(“”+id);

this.lastName = lastName;

this.age = age;

this.id = id;

}

public int getId() {

return id;

}

@XmlAttribute(name=”id”)

public void setId(int id) {

this.id = id;

}

public String getLastName() {

return lastName;

}

@XmlElement(name=”lname”)

public void setLastName(String lastName) {

this.lastName = lastName;

}

public int getAge() {

return age;

}

@XmlElement(name=”age”)

public void setAge(int age) {

this.age = age;

}

public Firstname getFirstName() {

return firstName;

}

@XmlElement

public void setFirstName(Firstname firstName) {

this.firstName = firstName;

}

@Override

public String toString() {

return new StringBuffer(” First Name : “).append(this.firstName.getFname())

.append(” Last Name : “).append(this.lastName)

.append(” Age : “).append(this.age).append(” ID : “)

.append(this.id).toString();

}

}

class Firstname {

String fname;

String desc;

public String getFname() {

return fname;

}

@XmlAttribute(name=”ffname”)

public void setFname(String fname) {

this.fname = fname;

}

public String getDesc() {

return desc;

}

@XmlValue

public void setDesc(String desc) {

this.desc = desc;

}

}

TT
10 years ago

Your example is always simple and easy to understand, very good for beginners, thanks.

Maurizio
10 years ago

Great example. Thank you very much.

Kunal Handa
10 years ago

Desired output. Please see my first comment.

Kunal Handa
10 years ago

Hi,
How I can Choose to return only specific fields instead of complete Bean?
e.g. In above example how can I return only below output?

though my bean has 2 members, I want to return only one (pin) but not name?
Is it possible?

Thanks
Kunal Handa

John Sc
11 years ago

Very helpful, thank you!

avi_yach
11 years ago

How can we reply a list containing objects instead of a single object? I am a newbie to this technology, help of any sort is appreciated 🙂 Thanks in advanced.