[eclipse-incubator-e4-dev] RE: Re: [resources] REST(RepresentationalStat

[David Carver <dcarver@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

One thing to keep in mind is that Roy Fielding the author of the PHD 
thesis that started REST has some very specific rules as to what 
constitutes a true REST service:

http://roy.gbiv.com/untangled/2008/rest-apis-must-be-hypertext-driven


If we aren't careful what we really will be having is just RPC with XML 
over HTTP requests. So keep the rules of REST in mind when discussing a 
RESTful API.


> Thanks again, Gunnar.
>
> So, from your experience... does it make sense to
> work on API being more RESTful or not? 
>   

If you follow the patterns and rules for creating a good REST 
implementation, it's much easier to implement than an equivalant SOAP 
web service. It's also much more tool friendly.
> If clients are used to using WorkspaceModifyOperation,
> then porting such clients into a different environment
> where remote services are in the game may be difficult.
>   
Not if you hide the REST implementation behind a higher level 
implementation. A client doesn't have to know how it's being 
implemented, just the fact that they can call the specific class and get 
their information back.