JEXL / Iterator Framework

The design of DataWave Query is predicated in large part on Java Expression Language (JEXL), which serves two key roles within the query framework. First, JEXL is used as the basis for DataWave’s query language. Thus, it plays a central role within each client request to convey the user’s search criteria. Secondly, JEXL is utilized within the framework’s internals to drive query evaluation against DataWave’s Accumulo tables. More specifically, the framework leverages JEXL libraries to harness a variety of custom and stock Accumulo Iterators to facilitate both query evaluation and object retrieval.

Query Logics

The functionality and behavior of DataWave’s query API is highly customizable, through a variety of client- and server-side configuration options and through direct extension of software. Software extension within the API is typically accomplished through the implementation of new query logic components. A query logic in this context is simply a loosely-coupled Java class that leverages the JEXL/Iterator framework described above to support a specific type of query. DataWave provides several query logic implementations that will satisfy the basic needs of most users.

Web Services

Query logics are typically instantiated within DataWave’s web tier through dependency injection, using standard IoC frameworks such as Spring and CDI, and they are typically exposed to users through REST services. DataWave’s REST services are designed to support a large number of concurrent users and may be deployed to one or more application servers as needed for scalability. DataWave’s query services support a variety of client-side strategies for retrieving query results, and they support a variety of response formats for serializing those results, such as XML, JSON, Protocol Buffer, and other formats.