SOAP, which formerly stood for Simple Object Access Protocol, is a messaging protocol specification used to exchange structured information in the implementation of web services in computer networks. Here’s a breakdown of its key characteristics:

Designed for Web Services:

  • SOAP is specifically designed for web services, which are self-contained, modular applications accessible over the internet using standardized protocols like HTTP and XML.
  • It enables communication between different software applications, regardless of their underlying platforms or programming languages, fostering interoperability.

Structure and Format:

  • SOAP messages follow a specific envelope format defined using the XML (Extensible Markup Language) syntax.
  • The envelope contains information about the sender, recipient, and the actual payload (data being sent).
  • The payload itself can be encoded in various formats, such as XML Schema or custom data structures.
Categories: