Java Source World: Difference between JAX-RPC, JAX-WS, JAX-RS, Apache Axis, SAAJ, Apache SOAP, JWSDP, Metro, Jersey and GlassFish

Difference between JAX-RPC, JAX-WS, JAX-RS, Apache Axis, SAAJ, Apache SOAP, JWSDP, Metro, Jersey and GlassFish

• JAX-RPC is a specification/API for Java developers to develop SOAP based interoperable web services. This API is now obsolete, and may be dropped from the next JEE version.
• JAX-WS is the successor to JAX-RPC. It requires Java 5.0, and is not backwards-compatible to JAX-RPC.  Describes the high-level differences to JAX-RPC.
• SAAJ is another specification/API for using SOAP envelopes with or without attachments. It operates on a lower level than JAX-RPC or JAX-WS, both of which will use SOAP envelopes based on SAAJ if needed.
• Apache Axis is an open source implementation of the Java WS APIs for sending and receiving SOAP messages. Axis 1 supports JAX-RPC and SAAJ, while Axis 2 supports SAAJ and JAX-WS.
• Apache SOAP was the first SOAP implementation. It is now obsolete, and has been superseded by Apache Axis.
• Sun JWSDP - Sun Java Webservices Developer Pack, is an implementation of JAX-RPC, SAAJ and various other XML Java technologies. It is now deprecated in favor of the Metro stack.
• GlassFish is the open source JEE reference implementation. As such, it contains implementations of JAX-RS and JAX-WS.
• Metro is the SOAP stack used in GlassFish?. It supports SAAJ, JAX-WS, WS-Security and other standards.
• JAX-RS is the standard Java API for RESTful web services.
• Jersey is the reference implementation of the JAX-RS API, as defined in the JSR-311 standard for RESTful web services.