XML-RPC
XML-RPC是一個远端过程调用(remote procedure call,RPC)的分布式计算通信協定,通过XML将调用函数封装,並使用HTTP协议作為傳送機制[1]。
歷史
XML-RPC發表於1998年,由UserLand Software的Dave Winer及Microsoft共同發表[2]。後來在新的功能不斷被引入下,這個標準慢慢演變成為今日的SOAP協定。
XML-RPC協定是已登記的專利項目,由Phillip Merrick、Stewart Allen及Joseph Lapp共同持有,於1998年3月提出申請,指其將用於一個構想中的應用程式,並於2006年4月獲得接納。現時這個專利由位於美國維珍尼亞州費爾法克斯的webMethods使用[3]。
用法
XML-RPC透過向裝置了這個協定的伺服器發出HTTP請求。發出請求的用戶端一般都是需要向遠端系統要求呼叫的軟件。Multiple input parameters can be passed to the remote method, one return value is returned. The parameter types allow nesting of parameters into maps and lists, thus larger structures can be transported. Therefore XML-RPC can be used to transport objects or structures both as input and as output parameters.
Identification of clients for authorization purposes can be achieved using popular HTTP security methods. Basic access authentication is used for identification, HTTPS is used when identification (via certificates) and encrypted messages are needed. Both methods can be combined.
In comparison to REST, where resources are transported, XML-RPC is designed to call methods.
XML-RPC is simpler to use and understand than SOAP because it
- allows only one method of method serialization, whereas SOAP defines multiple different encodings
- has a simpler security model
- does not require (nor support) the creation of WSDL service descriptions, although XRDL provides a simple subset of the functionality provided by WSDL
JSON-RPC is similar to XML-RPC.
数据类型
以下的例子為日常的数据类型在轉化為等同的XML後的面貌:
名稱 | 標記範例 | 描述 |
---|---|---|
array |
<array>
<data>
<value><i4>1404</i4></value>
<value><string>Something here</string></value>
<value><i4>1</i4></value>
</data>
</array>
|
Array of values, storing no keys |
base64 |
<base64>eW91IGNhbid0IHJlYWQgdGhpcyE=</base64>
|
Base64-encoded binary data |
boolean |
<boolean>1</boolean>
|
布尔型邏輯值 (0 或 1) |
date/time |
<dateTime.iso8601>19980717T14:08:55</dateTime.iso8601>
|
Date and time in ISO 8601 format |
double |
<double>-12.53</double>
|
雙精度浮點數字 |
integer |
<i4>42</i4>
or <int>42</int>
|
Whole number, integer |
string |
<string>Hello world!</string>
|
字符串,必須遵守XML encoding的格式。 |
struct |
<struct>
<member>
<name>foo</name>
<value><i4>1</i4></value>
</member>
<member>
<name>bar</name>
<value><i4>2</i4></value>
</member>
</struct>
|
Associative array |
nil |
<nil/>
|
Discriminated null value; an XML-RPC extension |
Examples
An example of a typical XML-RPC request would be:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodCall>
<methodName>examples.getStateName</methodName>
<params>
<param>
<value><i4>40</i4></value>
</param>
</params>
</methodCall>
An example of a typical XML-RPC response would be:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodResponse>
<params>
<param>
<value><string>South Dakota</string></value>
</param>
</params>
</methodResponse>
A typical XML-RPC fault would be:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<methodResponse>
<fault>
<value>
<struct>
<member>
<name>faultCode</name>
<value><int>4</int></value>
</member>
<member>
<name>faultString</name>
<value><string>Too many parameters.</string></value>
</member>
</struct>
</value>
</fault>
</methodResponse>
Criticism
Critics of XML-RPC argue that RPC calls can be made with plain XML, and that XML-RPC doesn't add any value over XML. Both XML-RPC and XML require an application level data model, such as which field names are defined in the XML schema or the parameter names in XML-RPC [4] [5] [6]
Implementations
Python
- xmlrpclib
- Renamed xmlrpc.client in Python 3.
- Creating XML-RPC Servers and Clients with Twisted
C++
- Libiqxmlrpc
- Ultra lightweight XML-RPC library for C++
- XML-RPC for C and C++
- XmlRpc++
- XmlRpc C++ client for Windows
- gSOAP toolkit for C and C++ supporting XML-RPC and more
- libmaia: XML-RPC for Qt/C++
Objective-C / GNUstep / Cocoa
- XMLRPC Framework
- Cocoa XML-RPC Framework: Open Source XML-RPC framework written for use in Mac OS X Cocoa applications.
Erlang
- XML-RPC for Erlang: This is an HTTP 1.1 compliant XML-RPC library for Erlang. It is designed to make it easy to write XML-RPC Erlang clients and/or servers. The library is compliant with the XML-RPC specification published by http://www.xmlrpc.org/
Java
- Apache XML-RPC: Open source library for Java
- XML-RPC Delight: Convenient serialisation/deserialisation for Apache XML-RPC using Java Annotations and Beans
- [3]: Secure Apache XML-RPC
- Redstone XML-RPC Library: Redstone's Open Source Library - XML-RPC implementation in Java
- XML-RPC Library for Java ME: Open source client-side library for Java ME
XMPP
- pyJabberXMLRPC: Python classes for XMPP
- Jabber-RPC: Over the Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol protocol
Other
- JSON/XML-RPC Client and Server: Abstract away the differences between JSON-RPC and XML-RPC
- RemObjects SDK Delphi and .NET package for XML-RPC, in addition to SOAP and others
- RealThinClient SDK: For Delphi/C++
- XML::RPC: Perl module implementation
- XML-RPC for ActionScript: For Flash ActionScript 2.0
- as3-rpclib: For Flex/Actionscript 3
- XML-RPC.NET: Open source library for .NET clients and servers
- XmlRpc-Light: Client and server library for OCaml
- S-XML-RPC: Client and server library for Common Lisp
- PHP-XML-RPC: For PHP
- HaXR: Client and server library for Haskell
- xi library with PHP and Javascript XML-RPC: For PHP and Javascript
- Ruby XML-RPC library: For Ruby
- XML-RPC interface to Lua: For Lua
- android-xmlrpc: A light XML-RPC client for Google Android
- XML-RPC for Tcl: A Tcl implementation of XML-RPC providing client and server support
- [4]: RebXR, a full client/server XML-RPC implementation for REBOL.
參看
參考資料
- ^ Simon St. Laurent, Joe Johnston, Edd Dumbill. Programming Web Services with XML-RPC. First Edition. O'Reilly. 2001-06.
- ^ Box, Don. A Brief History of SOAP. O'Reilly. 2001-04-01 [2008-10-09].
- ^ Merrick; et al. US Patent 7,028,312. 2006-04-11 [2008-09-18].
- ^ What is the benefit of XmlRpc over plain XML? StackOverflow post 9.9.2009
- ^ [1] An open poll on the merits of XmlRpc versus alternatives
- ^ [2] An overview of all the alternatives