Great Series on REST and Resource-Oriented Architecture

Whether You Call it ROA or WOA, It Simply Works

Brian Sletten, newly with Riot Games, has just completed his four-part REST for Java developers series on JavaWorld.com. The series, which began last October, was wrapped up this week.

The series is highly readable and a real keeper:

• Part 1: REST for Java developers, Part 1: It’s about the information, stupid; A resource-oriented approach to Web services (printable), 10/16/08
• Part 2: REST for Java developers, Part 2: Restlet for the weary; Easy interfaces for building and consuming RESTful Web services in Java (printable), 12/23/08
• Part 3: REST for Java developers, Part 3: NetKernel; A next-generation environment where SOA meets multicore (printable), 02/03/09
• Part 4: REST for Java developers, Part 4: The future is RESTful; The REST architectural style in the Semantic Web (printable), 04/02/09.

The printable versions are the easiest to read since you don’t have to get stuck in JavaWorld’s annoying document-splitting style.

Brian prefers to use Sam Ruby’s term of resource-oriented architecture (ROA), though I have preferred to use Nick Gall’s Web-oriented architecture (WOA) nomenclature. In any case, the series is highly informative and clearly written and is sufficiently general in Parts 1 and 4 and most of Part 3 to be of use to non-Java developers.

What is quite interesting is that Brian also makes the connection between a REST Web service style and linked data in Part 4, as I suggested a few months back. (In fact, for those familiar with REST, I recommend you start with Part 4.) Again, I think RESTful Web services in combination with RDF and linked data points to the winning and performant architecture of the foreseeable future.

Thanks for a great series, Brian!