Axis2 is an enterprise-ready web service engine that is very user friendly and provides web service interactions with a dynamic and flexible execution framework.

Apache Axis2 is a core engine for web services with two implementations: Apache Axis2/Java and Apache Axis2/C. It is a complete redesign and rewrite of the widely used Apache Axis SOAP stack that builds on the lessons learned from the Apache Axis implementation of the SOAP submission to W3C. Apache Axis2 not only supports SOAP 1.1 and SOAP 1.2, but also has integrated support for the widely popular REST-style of web services. The same business logic implementation can offer both a WS-* style interface and a REST/POX style interface simultaneously.

Apache Axis2 is more efficient, more modular, more scalable, and more XML-oriented than the older version. It is carefully designed to support the easy addition of plug-in modules that extend its functionality for features such as security.For more information "Quickstart Apache Axis2" by Packt book will take you through the basics of web services and Axis2 to the details of Axis2’s architecture.