Wednesday, August 25, 2021
Years ago, when I first started developing applications using the Commission Junction (CJ) API, SOAP using WSDL were the technologies in use.
Today, the CJ Product Search API uses GraphQL.

Those familiar with SOAP/WSDL APIs, probably understand the complications involved with using Java Servlet technology to develop applications using the SOAP protocol and WSDL definition language.
This to say, yesterday when it took all day for me to figure out how to request data via a Java Servlet- using the newer CJ Product Search API and GraphQL, I was a little surprised.
As shown in the illustration above (CJ's GraphQL test page), it was not because I was unfamiliar with GraphQL. The Yelp API uses GraphQL, so I had the opportunity to research this technology in 2018.
The problem, I had to figure out how to send the correct data from the servlet to the service, and I could find very little in the way of documentation. Illustrated in the following graphic, some of the tools I use when testing new APIs I want to work with.

Around eight last night, I finally found the answer. Below the response from a successful servlet "GET" request as rendered within the Netbeans IDE output pane.

I plan to provide a demonstration of the CJ Product Search API using GraphQL on one of the QiSoftware Product pages, similar to the Instagram API demonstration.
What will the demonstration of the CJ Product Search API provide? The widget below, illustrates some of the designs of major designers- that will be available when the demonstration application is installed.
