Why interface for EJB3 webservices?

[zauberlehrling]

Hi,

I'm investigating your examples in jbossws-samples-1.2.0.SP1.
In your example for EJB3 webservices you use two classes:

1) An interface (EJB3RemoteInterface)
2) The stateless session bean implementing the operation of the webservice (EJB3Bean01)

..
// standard JSR181 annotations
@WebService(name = "EndpointInterface", targetNamespace = "http://org.jboss.ws/samples/jsr181ejb", serviceName = "TestService")
@SOAPBinding(style = SOAPBinding.Style.RPC)

// standard EJB3 annotations
@Remote(EJB3RemoteInterface.class)
@RolesAllowed("friend")
@Stateless

// jboss propriatary annotations
@RemoteBinding(jndiBinding = "/ejb3/EJB3Bean01")
@WebContext(authMethod="BASIC", transportGuarantee="NONE", secureWSDLAccess=false)
@SecurityDomain("JBossWS")
public class EJB3Bean01 implements EJB3RemoteInterface
{
 @WebMethod
 @WebResult(name = "result")
 public String echo(@WebParam(name = "String_1") String input)
 {
 return input;
 }
}

I also have a small session bean / webservice :

@WebService
@Stateless
public class EjbEndpoint {

 @WebMethod
 public String sayHello(String name)
 {
 return "Hello "+name+"!";
 }
}

and I can successfully deploy this session bean / webservice to jboss-5 Beta 2. Even I am able to call the webservice.

My question: What's the purpose of the interface? Have I missed something?

Thanks in adavance!

Frank

[monowai]

The interface is not strictly required under EJB3 and your question has nothing to do with Webserices per-se.

The reason for a Remote Interface is just that - Remote (or client). If you don't distribute a remote interface, then you have to distribute your EJB's. Deploying server side logic is a no-no in my book.

So, to sum up, if you expect a remote client to use RMI to call your EJB's, then create and distribute a remote interface.

[monowai]

"monowai" wrote:
...Deploying server side logic is a no-no in my book..

Should have read:
Deploying Service side logic to the Client!