Say we want to integrate multiple applications which handle order processing. OK, that's got to be one of the dullest starts to a blog post. Never mind, bear with me...

So, we have applications on separate servers for handling and driving data such as orders, product descriptions and catalogues, stock lists, price lists, tracking, packing notes and delivery notes, invoices, payments, etc.

We may choose an SOA approach, of course. But let's say our sponsors have heard of this cheaper alternative: REST! Which to them means 'using Web technology to save money'.

Now .. suppose we push the time slider right back to before Mark Baker and the SOA -vs- REST Wars - or the 'SOAP -vs- REST Wars' as people naively called it. To when REST was simply (!) a description of the Web's architectural style...

What if we revisit the applicability of the Web, and its abstraction into REST, to the architecture of machine-to-machine distributed systems - to something like our order processing integration?

I think we'd quickly arrive at something that looks more like FOREST than, say, AtomPub...   ...

Since the day in 2006 that our dialogue took place with an imaginary eBay Architect, he has been promoted to imaginary Enterprise Architect in an investment bank! Convinced by the merits of REST, he took his enthusiasm for it into his new job and embarked on architecting a trading system using REST or ROA as an alternative to SOA.

Now, he hit upon a snag: he had a REST "bank server" generating bids on an instrument and POSTing them into that instrument's REST "market server". But then he had two copies of his bid! One held by the bank server on one URI, and the other in a "bid collection" held by the market server's instrument - on another URI.

He asked himself: "Which URI is the real one? Which host 'owns' the bid? Is the market's copy just a cache? If so, why does it have a new URI? Why doesn't the market host know the URI of the bank's original bid? Why can't servers become clients and just GET the data that their own data depends upon?" The server seemed to be dominating the conversation, not letting its 'client' server have a say in things.

Our worried Enterprise Architect noticed that such Service-Orientation permeated REST practice: there were "REST APIs" to Web sites, or "Web services" with a small 's'. Even AtomPub had a "service document"! Some patterns, like AtomPub, offered just simple read/write data services through the full HTTP method set. Some simply used such a read/write interface as a wrapper around more complex service functions.

He wondered: "Where's the Web in REST integration? The Web works great without PUT and DELETE: isn't using GET on its own RESTful enough?"

So, remembering something I said about "Symmetric REST", he contacted me again...   ...

In an exclusive nine-part dialogue with an imaginary eBay Architect, we present an accessible discussion of the REST vs. SOA issue.

Although eBay have what they call a 'REST' interface, it is, in fact, a STREST interface, and only works for a few of the many function calls that they make available via SOAP.

In this dialogue series, I argue the case for eBay to adopt a truly REST approach to their integration API.

Part 9: Web Objects Ask, They Never Tell   ...

In an exclusive nine-part dialogue with an imaginary eBay Architect, we present an accessible discussion of the REST vs. SOA issue.

Although eBay have what they call a 'REST' interface, it is, in fact, a STREST interface, and only works for a few of the many function calls that they make available via SOAP.

In this dialogue series, I argue the case for eBay to adopt a truly REST approach to their integration API.

Part 8: WS-Are-You-Sure (Security, Reliable Messaging and Transactions)   ...

In an exclusive nine-part dialogue with an imaginary eBay Architect, we present an accessible discussion of the REST vs. SOA issue.

Although eBay have what they call a 'REST' interface, it is, in fact, a STREST interface, and only works for a few of the many function calls that they make available via SOAP.

In this dialogue series, I argue the case for eBay to adopt a truly REST approach to their integration API.

Part 7: Business Conversations   ...

Last night's Google London Open Source Jam (also here) was on the subject of the 'Web' (didn't they invent that? Oh no, that was Microsoft).

This event has been getting better and better each time I've attended. There were some very interesting lightning talks held together with a tight structure and plenty of chance to chat, drink cold Leffe and eat cold pizza. And nick [transatlantic translation: 'steal'] the Green & Black's chocolate.

An ideal Micro Conference...   ...

Web 2.0's definition includes seeing the Web as an application platform. Which means it is in competition with Java and .Net, and with SOA, for both local and widely distributed applications.

If the Web is going to be a platform, the skills you need to learn to program it are the core Web 2.0 technologies such as Ajax, JSON, Atom, Microformats and OpenID.

And Ruby. This language, that's capturing the hearts of many Web 2.0 programmers, is ideal for easing the transition from the Java and .Net platforms to the Web platform, as I will show.

Even if you're part of a big company that is generally immune to the latest trends, the marriage of Ruby and the Web-as-platform may be something to prepare for. It could even displace your SOA agenda...   ...

In an exclusive nine-part dialogue with an imaginary eBay Architect, we present an accessible discussion of the REST vs. SOA issue.

Although eBay have what they call a 'REST' interface, it is, in fact, a STREST interface, and only works for a few of the many function calls that they make available via SOAP (GetSearchResults, GetItem, GetCategoryListings, etc).

In this dialogue series, I argue the case for eBay to adopt a truly REST approach to their integration API.

Part 5: The Distributed Observer Pattern   ...

In an exclusive nine-part dialogue with an imaginary eBay Architect, we present an accessible discussion of the REST vs. SOA issue.

Although eBay have what they call a 'REST' interface, it is, in fact, a STREST interface, and only works for a few of the many function calls that they make available via SOAP (GetSearchResults, GetItem, GetCategoryListings, etc).

In this dialogue series, I argue the case for eBay to adopt a truly REST approach to their integration API.

Part 4: Inter-Enterprise REST Integration   ...

What do all the MAJOR Web 2.0 technologies of 2007 have in common?

Let me list them first:

    M.icroformats (including tags)
    A.jax (including Comet)
    J.SON (plus YAML)
    O.penID (plus SXIP, LID, Yadis)
    R.EST (including Atom, APP)

What these technologies have in common is that they're all lighter than their competitors:

  ...

In an exclusive nine-part dialogue with an imaginary eBay Architect, we present an accessible discussion of the REST vs. SOA issue.

Although eBay have what they call a 'REST' interface, it is, in fact, a STREST interface, and only works for a few of the many function calls that they make available via SOAP (GetSearchResults, GetItem, GetCategoryListings, etc).

In this dialogue series, I argue the case for eBay to adopt a truly REST approach to their integration API.

Part 3: Business Functions   ...

In an exclusive nine-part dialogue with an imaginary eBay Architect, we present an accessible discussion of the REST vs. SOA issue.

Although eBay have what they call a 'REST' interface, it is, in fact, a STREST interface, and only works for one of the many function calls that they make available via SOAP (GetSearchResults).

In this dialogue series, I argue the case for eBay to adopt a truly REST approach to their integration API.

Part 2: Setting Data   ...

In an exclusive nine-part dialogue with an imaginary eBay Architect, we present an accessible discussion of the REST vs. SOA issue.

Although eBay have what they call a 'REST' interface, it is, in fact, a STREST interface, and only works for one of the many function calls that they make available via SOAP (GetSearchResults).

In this dialogue series, I argue the case for eBay to adopt a truly REST approach to their integration API.

Part 1: Getting Data   ...

It gives me great pleasure to announce the 2006 'What Now How' Awards for REST Protocols (or 'APIs') in the Read/Write Category.

All this year's awardees share the distinction of being truly worthy of the 'REST' label; these Read/Write Protocols are acknowledged here for their uncompromising adherence to the simple principles of the World Wide Web.   ...

Microformats are subversive: they not only challenge the approach of full-blown Semantic Web approaches, but even question fundamental Web 2.0 building blocks such as Web Feeds and Web APIs.

I recently attended XTech 2006, where there were a few talks related to Microformats.

After summarising these talks, I'll finish with my shocking revelations about the subversive nature of Microformats!   ...

The vast majority of supposedly 'REST' Web APIs are simply abusing HTTP to carry function calls. I call these APIs 'Service-Trampled REST', or STREST.

STREST APIs come with specific costs which could stifle the two-way data Web (Web2.0) if allowed to propagate unchecked. Although 'mashability' is a supposed benefit of the current proliferation of APIs, true interoperability and scalability can only be guaranteed by true REST interaction.

This is not an academic, purist or aesthetic stance, but one based on practical consequences, as I will explain.   ...