Part 2. Getting ready to roll out

Part 1 showed that the Restlet Framework provides a comprehensive solution to developing your RESTful web projects. So far, we’ve put the framework in action with the RESTful mail system example by introducing only the concepts needed to get you started. This second part shares with you the necessary knowledge to change a prototype into a production-ready Restlet application.

Chapter 4 extensively covers the development of Restlet representations. Rather than simple strings, as in part 1, you’ll expose and consume complex representations using languages such as XML, JSON, and HTML. You’ll see how to use a minimal amount of code with techniques such as content negotiation and automatic binding with the converter service.

Chapter 5 explains how to secure a Restlet application, covering aspects such as confidentiality with TLS/SSL and user authentication. It covers authorization of specific actions using coarse- or fine-grained approaches as well as ways to ensure end-to-end data integrity—for example, to ensure nonrepudiation.

Chapter 6 goes over common requirements for RESTful web APIs: producing and maintaining user documentation and listing available resources, their URI templates, their exposed representations, and allowed methods. WADL is the de facto standard for this in RESTful applications, and chapter 6 discusses how it’s supported in Restlet. We also discuss when and how to version your web API.

Chapter 7 talks about how to fulfill common needs such as processing web forms, handling file uploads, and setting cookies on web clients. You’ll also learn best practices regarding testing and optimization of Restlet applications.

By the end of part 2 you should be equipped to develop a complete Restlet application and make it ready for deployment in production!