Convert XML Files to Java Classes and Vice Versa Using JAXB

XML (eXtensible Markup Language) and Java are two powerful technologies that often need to communicate with each other. You can easily convert between them using JAXB (Java Architecture for XML Binding). This article will guide you through the process of converting XML files to Java classes and vice versa.

Converting XML to Java Class

To convert an XML file into a Java class, you can use JAXB. This involves creating an XML Schema (XSD) to define the structure of your XML, generating Java classes from that XSD, and finally, unmarshalling (or deserializing) XML data into Java objects.

Steps to Convert XML to Java Class using JAXB

Create an XML Schema (XSD): If you have an XML file, it's often beneficial to create an XSD that defines the structure of the XML. Generate Java Classes: Use the xjc tool provided by JAXB to generate Java classes from the XSD. Usage: Use the generated classes to unmarshal (read) the XML data into Java objects.

Example:

Java
// XML Schema (XSD)
xml

Once you have the XSD, use the xjc tool to generate the Java classes:

bash
xjc -d src -p 

This generates classes in the specified package. Now, you can unmarshal the XML to Java objects:

Java
JAXBContext context  ();
Unmarshaller unmarshaller  ();
File xmlFile  new File("person.xml");
Person person  (Person) unmarshaller.unmarshal(xmlFile);

Converting Java Class to XML

To convert a Java class back to an XML file, you can use JAXB for marshalling (or serializing).

Steps to Convert Java Class to XML using JAXB

Create a Java Object: Instantiate the Java object you want to convert to XML. Marshal to XML: Use JAXB to convert the Java object to XML.

Example:

Java
Person person  new Person("John Doe", 30);
JAXBContext context  ();
Marshaller marshaller  ();
(Marshaller.JAXB_FORMATTED_OUTPUT, true);
File xmlFile  new File("person.xml");
(person, xmlFile);

Summary

XML to Java Class: Use JAXB with an XSD to generate Java classes then unmarshal XML to Java objects. Java Class to XML: Create a Java object and use JAXB to marshal it to an XML file.

This process allows for seamless conversion between XML and Java objects, making it easier to work with XML data in Java applications. By leveraging JAXB, you can streamline your data parsing and serialization requirements.

Related Keywords

JAXB XML to Java Java to XML