About the XSLT Service Engine

The XSLT Service Engine is a Java-based transformation engine that is used to convert XML documents from one data format to another. The XSLT Service Engine makes it easier for users to configure and expose XSL style sheets as web services. Using the XSLT Service Engine requires no special knowledge of XSL, but rather allows any XSL style sheet to be deployed as a JBI service unit.

The XSLT Service Engine is not solely responsible for performing transformations. XSL style sheets implement a web service operation (as normally defined in a WSDL). When deployed as JBI service units, these service units correspond to a service endpoint. Each endpoint is activated when the XSLT service unit is deployed. In a sense, the XSLT Service Engine is a container of XSL style sheets, each of which represents a service endpoint in the JBI environment.

The following steps highlight the life cycle of a typical message using the XSLT Service Engine:

1. The XSLT service unit is configured with service endpoint information.

2. The service unit is deployed, along with the XSL style sheet, to the JBI environment.

3. The XSLT Service Engine compiles the style sheet.

4. A message arrives and the XSLT Service Engine searches for the service endpoint responsible for handling the message.

5. The message is transformed using the service endpoint's XSL style sheet.

6. A response is sent back via the Normalized Message Router (NMR).