WebMethods Glue explained

webMethods Glue is an enterprise web services platform from webMethods. It provides web services/SOAP capabilities to existing Java and C/C++ applications.^[1]

Developers use the Java-based product to add enterprise web services integration to legacy applications with reduced programming effort. It is an embeddable product (small footprint^[2]) that turns a non-web service application into one that exposes its functionality as a web services.^[3] Similar to the open source Apache Axis, the Glue product provides a layer of web service interoperability with existing applications.^[4]

Product features

webMethods Glue features include:^{[2] [5]}

• Little or no coding to expose application functionality as a web service
• Standalone operation if required (does not need an application server)
• Fast local messaging
• Transparent Java/XML integration
• Web services standards support
• Small memory footprint

Product history

Created by The Mind Electric, GLUE—as it was then named—was the company's flagship product. They released it in two forms: a free, unsupported "standard" version, and a company-supported but commercially licensed "professional" edition.^{[4] [6]}

In September 2003 GLUE featured in a Microsoft Press book, Microsoft .NET and J2EE Interoperability Toolkit.^[7]

webMethods acquired the product as part of its merger with The Mind Electric.^[8] The merger resulted in rebranding the product with the webMethods prefix to become webMethods Glue.^[9]

The webMethods Glue product 6.5.x maintenance ended on May 31, 2010, and support ended a year later.^[10]

Release history

• GLUE 3.0 - Aug 2002 ^[4]
• GLUE 4.0 - April 2003 ^{[11] [12]}
• GLUE 4.1 - June 2003 ^{[6] [13]}

Technologies and standards

HTTP, Servlets, XML, SOAP, WSDL, and UDDI^[1]

Notes and References

1. http://www.webmethods.com/Products/ESP/WebServicesDev webMethods web services Development
2. http://tim.oreilly.com/pub/d/506 orielly 2001 article on GLUE
3. http://www.webmethods.com/News/PressReleases/Details?pressReleaseDetails_param0=3213&hiddenRequest=true webMethods to offer OEM license of Glue
4. http://searchwebservices.techtarget.com/originalContent/0,289142,sid26_gci842794,00.html Glue3.0 release article
5. http://www.webmethods.com/Products/ESP/WebServicesDev/Features Glue detailed feature list
6. http://webservices.sys-con.com/read/39905.htm Glue 4.1 released Article
7. http://www.gridtoday.com/03/0915/101954.html Glue featured in Microsoft Press book
8. http://news.cnet.com/2100-7345_3-5090102.html cnet article "WebMethods buys a new direction"
9. http://www.webmethods.com/News/PressReleases/Details?pressReleaseDetails_param0=3153&hiddenRequest=true webMethods Press release on The Mind Electric takeover
10. http://communities.softwareag.com/ecosystem/communities/public/Developer/webmethods/news/wbm_news.html#7674e9f0-7460-11df-ae7e-005056b70d44 webMethods press release on the product end of life
11. http://www.theserverside.com/news/thread.tss?thread_id=18169 The Server Side Glue4.0 announcement
12. http://radio.weblogs.com/0109134/2003/04/04.html Announcing Glue 4.0
13. http://www.theserverside.com/news/thread.tss?thread_id=20019 The Serverside Glue 4.1 announcement