Apparatus and method for flexible web service deployment

An apparatus and method for deploying web services in a web services infrastructure are provided. With the apparatus and method, a deployment descriptor for a web service is retrieved from a configuration file. A location type in the deployment descriptor is provided for identifying whether the web service is implemented using a web services description language (WSDL) document only, a JavaBean only, or both a WSDL document and a JavaBean. Based on the location type, and associated attributes of the location type, processes are performed for generating an internal definition of the web service to thereby deploy the web service in the web services infrastructure. The internal definition may be generated from the WSDL document directly, if the location type is WSDL only. If the location type is JavaBean only, the internal definition may be generated by first generating a WSDL document from the JavaBean and then generating the internal definition from the generated WSDL document. If the location type is both a WSDL document and JavaBean, then the internal definition is generated from the WSDL document with a Java binding being added to reference the JavaBean.