Apache SOAP type mapping, Part 1: Exploring Apache's serialization APIs

SOAP defines a simple wire protocol for transferring application-level data. This protocol can easily carry arbitrary Java types as serialized XML, thanks to its rich and extensible type system. In this article, the first of a two-part series on the type system support found in the Apache SOAP toolkit, Gavin Bong will introduce you to the theoretical underpinnings of SOAP's type system. You'll also learn more about SOAP's programmatic support for serialization and deserialization and conclude with an exploration into the toolkit's internals. A better understanding of how these processes work will help you build your own distributed systems.