Overview

This chapter presents WebLogic Workshop (WLW), BEA's integrated visual development framework and environment for creating enterprise-class Web services. First you delve into the impetus behind WebLogic Workshop and the problems it solves for Web services development. Next is a discussion on WLW architecture and concepts to provide a background for explaining features of the Workshop Visual Development Environment (VDE), Integrated Development Environment (IDE), and Runtime Framework. You will dive into some technical depth on how WLW's constructs are coded. Although this depth might seem contrary to Workshop's goal of shielding the developer from many plumbing details, knowing the underlying technology clarifies your journey through the VDE. You then walk through a simple, short tutorial of creating an actual Web service by using the VDE to solidify your understanding of the concepts.