---
title: "Configure the Job function"
url: https://docs.catalyst.zoho.com/en/tutorials/newsapp/java/configure-job-function/
description: "Build a web news application that automatically fetches news from a third-party service periodically using the Catalyst Job Scheduling Cron component, and a Job Function and Advanced I/O function coded in Java."
last_updated: 2026-08-17T12:16:04Z
service: All Services
type: tutorial
related_links:
  - name: "Job Scheduling"
    url: /en/job-scheduling/getting-started/introduction/
  - name: "Job Functions"
    url: /en/serverless/help/functions/job-functions/
---

# Configure the Job Function

Next, we'll begin coding the news application by configuring the job function component.

The function's directory, in this case `functions/NewsFetch`, contains:

* The `FetchNews.java` main function file
* The `catalyst-config.json` configuration file
* Java library files in the `lib` folder
* `.classpath` and `.project` dependency files

We will be adding code in the `FetchNews.java` file. You will not be modifying the code of the configuration and dependency files.

As mentioned in the [introduction](https://docs.catalyst.zoho.com/en/tutorials/newsapp/java/introduction/), the job function performs two tasks: making the API calls to the [NewsAPI](https://newsapi.org/) to fetch news, populating the news in Catalyst Data Store. The API calls are made using an API key provided by NewsAPI. 

### Register with NewsAPI

Before you code the job function, you must register for a free developer subscription with NewsAPI and obtain the API key in the following way:

1. Visit [https<span></span>://newsapi.org/register](https://newsapi.org/register).

2. Provide the required details and click **Submit**.
![register-api-key](https://catalyst-docs-development.zohostratus.in/images/tutorials/cron/register-api-key.webp)

After your registration is complete, NewsAPI will provide you with an API key. You must use this in your cron function, as instructed after the code section.

![api-key](https://catalyst-docs-development.zohostratus.in/images/tutorials/cron/api-key.webp)

### Add Function Code

You can copy the code below and paste it in `FetchNews.java` located in the `functions/NewsFetch` directory of your project and save the file. You can use any IDE to work with the application's files. 

> **Note**: Please go through the code given in this section to make sure you fully understand it.

**FetchNews.java**

```java
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.logging.Level;
import java.util.logging.Logger;
import com.catalyst.Context;
import com.catalyst.job.JOB_STATUS;
import com.catalyst.job.JobRequest;
import com.catalyst.job.CatalystJobHandler;
import com.zc.common.ZCProject;
import com.zc.component.object.ZCObject;
import com.zc.component.object.ZCRowObject;
import com.zc.component.object.ZCTable;
import com.zc.component.zcql.ZCQL;
import org.json.JSONArray;
import org.json.JSONObject;
import okhttp3.HttpUrl;
import okhttp3.OkHttpClient;
import okhttp3.Request;
import okhttp3.Response;
public class FetchNews implements CatalystJobHandler {
    private static final Logger LOGGER = Logger.getLogger(FetchNews.class.getName());
    // Table names for each category
    static String[] TABLENAME = { "HEADLINES", "BUSINESS", "ENTERTAINMENT", "HEALTH", "SCIENCE", "SPORTS", "TECHNOLOGY" };
    static String COUNTRY = "US"; 
    static String APIKEY = "cc30ddcae1684e848f08ed474f6aaf0e"; // Provide the API key you obtained from NewsAPI inside the quotations
    @Override
    public JOB_STATUS handleJobExecute(JobRequest request, Context context) throws Exception {
        try {
            ZCProject.initProject();
            OkHttpClient client = new OkHttpClient();
            // Fetch news for each category
            for (int i = 0; i < TABLENAME.length; i++) {
                HttpUrl.Builder urlBuilder = HttpUrl.parse("http://newsapi.org/v2/top-headlines").newBuilder();
                urlBuilder.addQueryParameter("country", COUNTRY);
                urlBuilder.addQueryParameter("apiKey", APIKEY);
                if (!TABLENAME[i].equals("HEADLINES")) {
                    urlBuilder.addQueryParameter("category", TABLENAME[i]);
                }
                String url = urlBuilder.build().toString();
                Request requests = new Request.Builder().url(url).build();
                Response response = client.newCall(requests).execute();
                if (response.code() == 200) {
                    JSONObject responseObject = new JSONObject(response.body().string());
                    JSONArray responseArray = responseObject.getJSONArray("articles");
                    pushNewstoDatastore(responseArray, i);
                } else {
                    LOGGER.log(Level.SEVERE, "Error fetching data from News API for " + TABLENAME[i]);
                }
                LOGGER.log(Level.INFO, "News updated for " + TABLENAME[i]);
            }
        } catch (Exception e) {
            LOGGER.log(Level.SEVERE, "Exception in Job Function", e);
            return JOB_STATUS.FAILURE;
        }
        return JOB_STATUS.SUCCESS;
    }
    private void pushNewstoDatastore(JSONArray responseArray, int length) throws Exception {
        String action = null;
        String query = "select ROWID from " + TABLENAME[length];
        ArrayList&lt;ZCRowObject&gt; rowList = ZCQL.getInstance().executeQuery(query);
        ZCObject object = ZCObject.getInstance();
        ZCTable table = object.getTable(TABLENAME[length]);
        // Loop safely through available articles (max 15)
        for (int i = 0; i < responseArray.length() && i < 15; i++) {
            JSONObject response = responseArray.getJSONObject(i);
            String title = response.optString("title", "No Title").replaceAll("'", "");
            String url = response.optString("url", "No URL");
            ZCRowObject row = ZCRowObject.getInstance();
            row.set("title", title);
            row.set("url", url);
            if (rowList.size() > i) {
                String rowid = rowList.get(i).get("ROWID").toString();
                Long ID = Long.parseLong(rowid);
                row.set("ROWID", ID);
                String upd = "Update " + TABLENAME[length] +
                             " set title = '" + title + "', url = '" + url + "' where ROWID = " + rowid;
                ZCQL.getInstance().executeQuery(upd);
                action = "Update";
            } else {
                table.insertRow(row);
                action = "Insert";
            }
        }
        if ("Update".equals(action)) {
            LOGGER.log(Level.INFO, TABLENAME[length] + " table updated with latest news");
        } else if ("Insert".equals(action)) {
            LOGGER.log(Level.INFO, TABLENAME[length] + " table inserted with new news");
        }
    }
}

```

> **Note**: After you copy and paste this code in your function file, ensure that you replace value of `APIKEY` in the line **26** with the API key you obtained from NewsAPI.

The job function is now configured. We will discuss the application's architecture after we configure the client.