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How to add html/js query to gwt app using gwt-rpc?

We have a web client built with GWT that talks to a server via gwt-rpc. One part of the app will now use html/js to replace the GWT GUI and we want that part to talk to the server but not via gwt-rpc. What ways are there to migrate a gwt-rpc call to something that will work with a none a gwt client? Today we send and receive java collections that contain object graphs like a list of order objects that have them self order detail objects and so on.
Thanks

Your best bet is using REST. Your data is sent using JSON, which is part of JavaScript so it will always be understood on the client-side. On the server side there shouldn't be any problems finding a suitable library to handle the rest (ha-ha, get it?).
If you're using GWT on the client and server side for now, resty-gwt and Jersey are a popular combo. There was a talk about it on the last GWT.create conference, it's a good starting point.

Can AngularJS be used without a REST API?

When I am creating a simple website with node.js I am fine with using the view engine (eg. jade) and controllers that provide data to it (eg. simple todo list). However, if I decide to add AngularJS as the client framework then it seems that I must implement REST API on the backend to get data from it. Almost all examples I see online with AngularJS have this basic architecture: client (angular) communicates with the server via REST API.
Can AngularJS be used without REST API and if so should I do it or should avoid it? Are there any recommendation/best practices for using AngularJS without REST API backend?

Absolutely. Angular can still do a lot on your site even if you never utilize the $http service to talk to your server. You can still take advantage of the utilities for helping out with managing your DOM.
That said, most modern apps need to get data from the server. There are tons of reasons why you might need to do this. For example, if you had users that needed to sign up then you'd need to store their username and password somewhere. That somewhere would be in a database that only your server can access. Then your server would provide some URLs that you can talk to via Angular's $http service.
If you do have an app that makes calls to the server but you want to turn off the network communication for testing, you can mock the $http call responses. Angular provides an $httpBackend for that exact purpose. You can use it to set up dummy URLs that pretend to respond to your $http calls so that your $http calls don't know they aren't actually talking to a server.
authRequestHandler = $httpBackend.when('GET', '/auth.py')
.respond({userId: 'userX'}, {'A-Token': 'xxx'});
Perfect for testing your code without a REST backend during testing.

REST which is short for Representational state transfer is basically things or resources instead of actions. Yes AngularJS can be used without REST API.

You can use nodeJS for your restful API and AngularJS as your javascript framework.
Even without a restful API AnguarlJS is a very strong tool to use in a project although to use it to it's full potential (fully scaled web app) then you would need a restful API.

use $http for not RESTful API
use $resource for RESTful API

Calling WCF Service from JavaScript

I have a WCF webservice developed with .NET 4.0 which I need to be called by a Javascript client. I have been searching online for the best binding to use to make this possible. Most answers seems to point towards webhttp, but I am concerned as this is one of the lest secure bindings. What is the best way to configure this?

As per my experience and understanding of "invoking wcf service from client side using jquery", i would say:
You can use either of webhttp or basichttp binding if need to invoke using jquery/javascript (surely basichttp better choice over webhttp here).
One person even wrote an article on codeproject where mentioned that using jquery one can even invoke wshttp bidning based wcf, I have not tried it myself, so not sure about it but if you need to expose your service with wshttp, then can refer this link on CP:
http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/311908/Calling-WCF-service-exposed-with-different-binding
In my opinion i would say:
if there is no business need to expose service as rest one, then don't go for webhttp, Again if your client app is NOT a .net app and if there is no need to have security in place, then you can avoid wshttp totally, so per this i would say go for basichttp bidning, where you get interoperable service and can even add security in future, if needed.

Quick testing your WCF webservice you can install "Advance REST client", it's available for Chrome/Firefox.
In order to integrate with your JS client app, you can use jQuery http get post depending upon your WCF verb. Alternatively, you can also use Angular.JS for the same, e.g., $http.get
For security you can secure your service endpoints in .net

Take a look at this page which specify different security configurations you can use in wcf.
What is your javascript client? is it running in browser?

How to connect a website to a WCF service

I have a simple one page HTML website to get user input and a WCF service that takes user input and return a list of strings depending on the input.
I would really appreaciate any guidance to connect the two together. Can it only be done with httpBinding and JSON serialization? Is JSON the best practice in this case?
If so, how do I make calls to the service? Do I need any server side scripting or is javascript on the client side enough?
If so, how do I capture and output the return of the service?
Thanks a lot.

Generally I use Ajax Enabled Wcf Service, with Json in this case. It works great for me

Most of times it's too much unnecessary complication of the system when you create a WCF service, define bindings, endpoints, contracts, host the service and distribute the client when you could simply get the things done with ASP.NET Page Methods + jQuery even getting rid of ScriptManagers.
You can call a Page Method directly from any .html file, you just need to have a single aspx file on the server, users may even don't know about its existence. The method can return your strings in a single string value, separated with any comma-like sign which is processed by JS later on.
You have a great advantage with page methods, 'cause the service is built into the asp.net web application, you're free of heavy, time-consuming mechanical hand-work every time you have to modify the service. My strong recommendation for you is to make use of page methods if you have an asp.net web app and follow KISS principles.

CQRS, Commands, Javascript

I have an architecture where a task-based UI passes commands to a service layer. Now, my intention is to implement the UI in javascript, using KendoUI and the service layer, domain layer etc. in .NET. I'm also looking at future mobile implementations of the client that may use say Java rather than Javascript.
If I define the commands in .NET, I'd like to know how to use them from my Javascript client so the client can communicate the commands appropriately to service layer. Do I have to use something like Apache Thrift for this i.e. to define the commands at both the client and service layer?

Since you use .NET have a look at this blog post I wrote, it uses t4 templates to render javascript objects of the C# Command/Query classes. The benefit from this is contract safty and code completion
http://andersmalmgren.com/2014/02/05/typed-javascript-contracts-using-t4-templates/

Typically, a service layer implemented with .NET cab be exposed as an HTTP API with which JavaScript communicates. The HTTP API implementation can be regarded as an adapter in a hexagonal architecture which relays all requests to application services, which in turn invoke commands on your domain model.
You may use Thift as an interface definition language to declare the messages that flow between client and server. Given, that the client is JavaScript based, you'd want to the JSON protocol which Thrift has support for.