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User Guide
The information contained in this section applies to IBM WebSphere Commerce Version 7.0.0.9 and Feautre Pack 8. The documentation also applies to all subsequent releases and modifications until otherwise indicated in new editions.
Developing
The topics in the Developing section describe tasks performed by an application developer.
Web services and WebSphere Commerce
A web service is an interface that describes a collection of operations that are accessible through the network by using standardized XML messaging.
Working with Web service feeds
WebSphere Commerce provides a RESTful framework that supports Web service feeds. Your site can use feeds to syndicate store information so customers can access that information on Web sites external to WebSphere Commerce. For example, you can let customers subscribe to a feed from an e-Marketing Spot that displays the Deal of the Week. In addition, WebSphere Commerce remote widgets display feed content to customers using this RESTful framework.
Creating a custom feed from a Web service
You can customize WebSphere Commerce to retrieve a feed from any existing WebSphere Commerce Web service or from a custom Web service you have created. You can display the feed in a Web widget embedded on a Web site external to WebSphere Commerce. Alternatively, you can let customers subscribe to the feed from your storefront. For example, to offer customers a feed that lists new products from your store, you could create a custom Atom feed from the Get Catalog Web service for the New Products catalog. You can then publish the URL for the feed on your storefront so customers can subscribe to the feed and view the new products in their favorite feed reader. WebSphere Commerce provides a RESTful framework that supports this customization scenario.

Introduced in Feature Pack 1

Creating a custom feed from a Web service

You can customize WebSphere Commerce to retrieve a feed from any existing WebSphere Commerce Web service or from a custom Web service you have created. You can display the feed in a Web widget embedded on a Web site external to WebSphere Commerce. Alternatively, you can let customers subscribe to the feed from your storefront. For example, to offer customers a feed that lists new products from your store, you could create a custom Atom feed from the Get Catalog Web service for the New Products catalog. You can then publish the URL for the feed on your storefront so customers can subscribe to the feed and view the new products in their favorite feed reader. WebSphere Commerce provides a RESTful framework that supports this customization scenario.

Before you begin the customization, you must understand interactions within the RESTful Web service framework as well as the customization points. Read Overview of the RESTful Web service framework for feeds.

For a tutorial that walks your through these customization steps using a specific example and sample code, see Tutorial: Creating an Atom feed to display information in a remote widget.