XML-RPC (XML Remote Procedure Call)
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XML-RPC is a simple, XML-based remote procedure call protocol that uses HTTP for transport, allowing for platform-independent communication. The document outlines the XML-RPC architecture, protocol, and a Java server implementation, highlighting its advantages in integrating different technologies. It emphasizes XML-RPC's suitability for simple applications where complex middleware is unnecessary.
XML-RPC (XML Remote Procedure Call)
- 1. Š Peter R. Egli 2015 1/11 Rev. 1.60 XML-RPC indigoo.com INTRODUCTION TO XML-RPC, A SIMPLE XML-BASED RPC MECHANISM XML-RPC Peter R. Egli INDIGOO.COM
- 2. Š Peter R. Egli 2015 2/11 Rev. 1.60 XML-RPC indigoo.com Contents 1. What is XML-RPC? 2. XML-RPC architecture 3. XML-RPC protocol 4. XML-RPC server implementation in Java 5. Where to use XML-RPC
- 3. Š Peter R. Egli 2015 3/11 Rev. 1.60 XML-RPC indigoo.com 1. What is XML-RPC? XML-RPC is a remote procedure call protocol using XML as data format and HTTP as transport protocol. Advantages of XML-RPC: ⢠Simple mechanism to call remote procedures on a machine with a different OS. ⢠XML-RPC is language and platform independent. XML-RPC libraries are available in Java and other languages (e.g. .Net: http://xml-rpc.net/). ⢠XML-RPC is not more than its name implies and thus is very simple and lean (very short specification, see http://xmlrpc.scripting.com/spec.html). Protocols and techniques behind XML-RPC: 1. XML - Formatting of the request and response and the arguments (wire protocol) 2. RPC - Remote call of procedures. 3. HTTP - Transport protocol for the XML (âfirewall-friendlyâ). <methodCall> ⌠</methodCall> HTTP HTTP <methodResponse> ⌠</methodResponse> XML- RPC server XML- RPC client <methodCall> ⌠</methodCall> <methodResponse> ⌠</methodResponse>
- 4. Š Peter R. Egli 2015 4/11 Rev. 1.60 XML-RPC indigoo.com 2. XML-RPC architecture The client application accesses the server through a URL (= location where service resides). The XML-RPC listener receives requests and passes these to the handler (= user defined class servicing the request). Client application XML-RPC HTTP TCP IP XML-RPC HTTP TCP IP XML-RPC Handler XML-RPC listener service.method call response XML request XML reply HTTP POST HTTP reply
- 5. Š Peter R. Egli 2015 5/11 Rev. 1.60 XML-RPC indigoo.com 3. XML-RPC protocol (1/5) Request (example from www.xmlrpc.com/spec): ⢠The XML body of the HTTP request contains a single method call (getStateName). ⢠The method is called on a service name under which the method is available. ⢠The URL does not need to be specified (service is indicated by the string before the dot in the method name element). POST /RPC2 HTTP/1.0 User-Agent: Frontier/5.1.2 (WinNT) Host: betty.userland.com Content-Type: text/xml Content-length: 181 <?xml version="1.0"?> <methodCall> <methodName>examples.getStateName</methodName> <params> <param> <value> <i4>41</i4> </value> </param> </params> </methodCall> HTTP header (request) with required header fields (blue) XML body List of request parameters
- 6. Š Peter R. Egli 2015 6/11 Rev. 1.60 XML-RPC indigoo.com List of return values 3. XML-RPC protocol (2/5) Response (example from www.xmlrpc.com/spec): ⢠The HTTP return code is always â200 OKâ, even in case of an XML-RPC fault (see below). ⢠The response contains a single value (like a return argument of a local procedure call). HTTP/1.1 200 OK Connection: close Content-Length: 158 Content-Type: text/xml Date: Fri, 17 Jul 1998 19:55:08 GMT Server: UserLand Frontier/5.1.2-WinNT <?xml version="1.0"?> <methodResponse> <params> <param> <value> <string>South Dakota</string> </value> </param> </params> </methodResponse> HTTP header (response) with required header fields (blue) XML body
- 7. Š Peter R. Egli 2015 7/11 Rev. 1.60 XML-RPC indigoo.com 3. XML-RPC protocol (3/5) Response with a failure (example from www.xmlrpc.com/spec): ⢠Even in case of an XML-RPC level failure the HTTP return code is 200 OK. ⢠The failure is indicated with the <fault> element. HTTP/1.1 200 OK Connection: close Content-Length: 426 Content-Type: text/xml Date: Fri, 17 Jul 1998 19:55:02 GMT Server: UserLand Frontier/5.1.2-WinNT <?xml version="1.0"?> <methodResponse> <fault> <value> <struct> <member><name>faultCode</name><value><int>4</int></value></member> <member><name>faultString</name> <value><string>Too many parameters.</string> </value> </member> </struct> </value> </fault> </methodResponse>
- 8. Š Peter R. Egli 2015 8/11 Rev. 1.60 XML-RPC indigoo.com 3. XML-RPC protocol (4/5) Parameter types (1/2): Base types: XML-RPC has a very limited set of base types: Type Description Example <i4> or <int> Four-byte signed integer -12 <boolean> 0 (false) or 1 (true) 1 <string> ASCII string (string is default) Hi! <double> Double-precision 3.1415 <dateTime.iso8601> Date/time 19980717T14:08:55 <base64> Base64-encoded binary eW91IGNhbid Structs: Structs contain elements (<member>) with a <name> and <value> element ("named" values). Structs may be recursive (value in a struct may be a struct again). <struct> <member> <name>lowerBound</name> <value><i4>18</i4></value> </member> <member> <name>upperBound</name> <value><i4>139</i4></value> </member> </struct>
- 9. Š Peter R. Egli 2015 9/11 Rev. 1.60 XML-RPC indigoo.com 3. XML-RPC protocol (5/5) Parameter types (2/2): Arrays: An array contains a single <data> element that in turn contains an array of <value> elements. An array differs from a struct in that its elements are simple values (without <name> element). Arrays may be recursive (value in array may be an array or also a struct). <array> <data> <value><i4>12</i4></value> <value><string>Egypt</string></value> <value><boolean>0</boolean></value> <value><i4>-31</i4></value> </data> </array>
- 10. Š Peter R. Egli 2015 10/11 Rev. 1.60 XML-RPC indigoo.com 4. XML-RPC server implementation in Java The class loader provides lookup service (find the serving class from request name). The XML-RPC listener does unmarshalling / marshalling of parameters. The XML-RPC handler is the user class that handles the request (implementation of the actual procedure call). WebServer XML-RPC listener Classloader properties Load mapping into class loader XML-RPC handler (user class) Defines the mapping from service name to class name serving the requests HTTP protocol front-end Passes the request to the XML-RPC server Consults class loader to get the serving class Unpack the XML, get the serving class, convert the arguments (C ď S) Pack the response into XML (S ď C) Pass the request to the serving class HTTP
- 11. Š Peter R. Egli 2015 11/11 Rev. 1.60 XML-RPC indigoo.com 5. Where to use XML-RPC ⢠XML-RPC may be suited for simple applications or situations where clients implemented in different technologies need to interact with a server with simple read-write operations where a more complex middleware technology would be overkill. ⢠XML-RPC is a solution to integrate different platforms with a simple middleware. ⢠XML-RPC is very simple so it can be implemented also for platforms without open source or commercially available XML-RPC libraries. Java PL/1 C++ RMI / IIOP CORBA DCOM CORBA runtime DCOM runtime C++ Integration of different platforms leads to complexity on the server side Java PL/1 C++ XML-RPC runtime C++ XML-RPC as a common integration technology reduces complexity on the server side (but adds complexity on the client side) XML-RPC stub HTTP