Message oriented construction of web services

A data processing system configured for message-oriented construction of a Web service, the system comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a processor programmed to:
• store a plurality of message flow patterns, each message flow pattern comprising a selection of message flow primitives in the memory renderable as graphical message flow primitives;
• execute a graphical user interface (GUI) message flow builder coupled to the message flow patterns and a registry of Web services;
• and
• execute code generation logic coupled to the GUI message flow builder;
• where the GUI message flow builder comprises program code executed by the processor to:
• graphically assemble a selection of interconnected graphical message flow primitives by:
• determining a Web services operation type for the Web service, comprising:
• reading a registry of Web services to identify a plurality of Web services as defined by a corresponding Web services definition language (WSDL) document;
• identifying a plurality of Web services operations for each of the Web services in the registry;
• and
• determining a Web services operation type for a selected one of the identified Web services operations, the Web services operation type comprising a Web services operation type selected from a group consisting of a one-way operation, a request-response operation, a solicit-response operation and a notification operation;
• matching the Web services operation type to a pre-configured message flow pattern, comprising:
• matching the Web services operation type to a message flow pattern selected from a group consisting of an input request flow pattern, a call out response flow pattern, a notification/solicit request flow pattern and a solicit response flow pattern;
• and
• rendering a visual representation of the message flow pattern;
• and
• where the GUI message flow builder further comprises program code executed by the processor to:
• insert, in response to detection of an additional user input selection, an additional graphical message flow primitive in the message flow pattern;
• connect the inserted additional graphical message flow primitive to at least one other graphical message flow primitive in the message flow pattern;
• and
• generate message flow logic from the assembly of interconnected graphical message flow primitives in the message flow pattern matched to the Web services operation type for a Web services operation selected in a Web service listed in the registry, where each graphical message flow primitive graphically represents and defines message-oriented logic of an operation for the Web service and is defined as a unit of work usable to define message flow patterns of Web service operation flow types within the GUI message flow builder and each graphical message flow primitive comprises a Web service operational processing logic definition of the respective unit of work;
• and
• where the code generation logic comprises program code executed by the processor to transform the message flow logic into executable Web services logic for execution by a run-time of a Web services server.

A computer program product comprising a computer usable storage device comprising computer usable program code for message-oriented construction of a Web service, said computer program product including:

• computer usable program code for graphically assembling within a message flow builder a selection of graphical message flow primitives that each graphically represent and define message-oriented logic of an operation for the Web service, where each graphical message flow primitive is defined as a unit of work usable to define message flow patterns of Web service operation flow types within the message flow builder and each graphical message flow primitive comprises a Web service operational processing logic definition of the respective unit of work, comprising:
• computer usable program code for determining a Web services operation type for the Web service, comprising:
• computer usable program code for reading a registry of Web services to identify a plurality of Web services as defined by a corresponding Web services definition language (WSDL) document;
• computer usable program code for reading a registry of Web services to identify a plurality of Web services as defined by a corresponding Web services definition language (WSDL) document;
• computer usable program code for identifying a plurality of Web services operations for each of the Web services in the registry;
• and
• computer usable program code for determining a Web services operation type for a selected one of the identified Web services operations, the Web services operation type comprising a Web services operation type selected from a group consisting of a one-way operation, a request-response operation, a solicit-response operation and a notification operation;
• computer usable program code for matching the Web services operation type to a pre-configured message flow pattern, comprising:
• computer usable program code for matching the Web services operation type to a message flow pattern selected from a group consisting of an input request flow pattern, a call out response flow pattern, a notification/solicit request flow pattern and a solicit response flow pattern;
• and
• computer usable program code for rendering a visual representation of the message flow pattern;
• computer usable program code for graphically interconnecting, in response to detection of user input selections, selected ones of the graphical message flow primitives to represent a flow of messages from one interconnected graphical message flow primitive to another interconnected graphical message flow primitive to create a message-oriented Web service definition;
• computer usable program code for inserting, in response to detection of an additional user input selection, an additional graphical message flow primitive in the message flow pattern;
• computer usable program code for connecting the inserted additional graphical message flow primitive to at least one other graphical message flow primitive in the message flow pattern;
• and
• computer usable program code for generating executable Web service logic defined by each one of the interconnected selection of graphical message flow primitives within the created message-oriented Web service definition to construct the Web service.