SOAP request to WebService with java

A SOAP request is an XML file consisting of the parameters you are sending to the server.

The SOAP response is equally an XML file, but now with everything the service wants to give you.

Basically the WSDL is a XML file that explains the structure of those two XML.

To implement simple SOAP clients in Java, you can use the SAAJ framework (it is shipped with JSE 1.6 and above):

SOAP with Attachments API for Java (SAAJ) is mainly used for dealing directly with SOAP Request/Response messages which happens behind the scenes in any Web Service API. It allows the developers to directly send and receive soap messages instead of using JAX-WS.

See below a working example (run it!) of a SOAP web service call using SAAJ. It calls this web service.

import javax.xml.soap.*;public class SOAPClientSAAJ {    // SAAJ - SOAP Client Testing    public static void main(String args[]) {        /*            The example below requests from the Web Service at:             http://www.webservicex.net/uszip.asmx?op=GetInfoByCity            To call other WS, change the parameters below, which are:             - the SOAP Endpoint URL (that is, where the service is responding from)             - the SOAP Action            Also change the contents of the method createSoapEnvelope() in this class. It constructs             the inner part of the SOAP envelope that is actually sent.         */        String soapEndpointUrl = "http://www.webservicex.net/uszip.asmx";        String soapAction = "http://www.webserviceX.NET/GetInfoByCity";        callSoapWebService(soapEndpointUrl, soapAction);    }    private static void createSoapEnvelope(SOAPMessage soapMessage) throws SOAPException {        SOAPPart soapPart = soapMessage.getSOAPPart();        String myNamespace = "myNamespace";        String myNamespaceURI = "http://www.webserviceX.NET";        // SOAP Envelope        SOAPEnvelope envelope = soapPart.getEnvelope();        envelope.addNamespaceDeclaration(myNamespace, myNamespaceURI);            /*            Constructed SOAP Request Message:            <SOAP-ENV:Envelope xmlns:SOAP-ENV="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/" xmlns:myNamespace="http://www.webserviceX.NET">                <SOAP-ENV:Header/>                <SOAP-ENV:Body>                    <myNamespace:GetInfoByCity>                        <myNamespace:USCity>New York</myNamespace:USCity>                    </myNamespace:GetInfoByCity>                </SOAP-ENV:Body>            </SOAP-ENV:Envelope>            */        // SOAP Body        SOAPBody soapBody = envelope.getBody();        SOAPElement soapBodyElem = soapBody.addChildElement("GetInfoByCity", myNamespace);        SOAPElement soapBodyElem1 = soapBodyElem.addChildElement("USCity", myNamespace);        soapBodyElem1.addTextNode("New York");    }    private static void callSoapWebService(String soapEndpointUrl, String soapAction) {        try {            // Create SOAP Connection            SOAPConnectionFactory soapConnectionFactory = SOAPConnectionFactory.newInstance();            SOAPConnection soapConnection = soapConnectionFactory.createConnection();            // Send SOAP Message to SOAP Server            SOAPMessage soapResponse = soapConnection.call(createSOAPRequest(soapAction), soapEndpointUrl);            // Print the SOAP Response            System.out.println("Response SOAP Message:");            soapResponse.writeTo(System.out);            System.out.println();            soapConnection.close();        } catch (Exception e) {            System.err.println("\nError occurred while sending SOAP Request to Server!\nMake sure you have the correct endpoint URL and SOAPAction!\n");            e.printStackTrace();        }    }    private static SOAPMessage createSOAPRequest(String soapAction) throws Exception {        MessageFactory messageFactory = MessageFactory.newInstance();        SOAPMessage soapMessage = messageFactory.createMessage();        createSoapEnvelope(soapMessage);        MimeHeaders headers = soapMessage.getMimeHeaders();        headers.addHeader("SOAPAction", soapAction);        soapMessage.saveChanges();        /* Print the request message, just for debugging purposes */        System.out.println("Request SOAP Message:");        soapMessage.writeTo(System.out);        System.out.println("\n");        return soapMessage;    }}

When the WSDL is available, it is just two steps you need to follow to invoke that web service.

Step 1: Generate the client side source from a WSDL2Java tool

Step 2: Invoke the operation using:

YourService service = new YourServiceLocator();Stub stub = service.getYourStub();stub.operation();

If you look further, you will notice that the Stub class is used to invoke the service deployed at the remote location as a web service. When invoking that, your client actually generates the SOAP request and communicates. Similarly the web service sends the response as a SOAP. With the help of a tool like Wireshark, you can view the SOAP messages exchanged.

However since you have requested more explanation on the basics, I recommend you to refer here and write a web service with it's client to learn it further.

I have come across other similar question here. Both of above answers are perfect, but here trying to add additional information for someone looking for SOAP1.1, and not SOAP1.2.

Just change one line code provided by @acdcjunior, use SOAPMessageFactory1_1Impl implementation, it will change namespace to xmlns:soap="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/", which is SOAP1.1 implementation.

Change callSoapWebService method first line to following.

SOAPMessage soapMessage = SOAPMessageFactory1_1Impl.newInstance().createMessage();

I hope it will be helpful to others.