SOAP - Simple Object Access Protocol

What is SOAP?

SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) is a protocol specification for exchanging structured information in the implementation of web services. It uses XML to encode messages and typically runs over HTTP or SMTP.

Why is SOAP useful?

SOAP is useful for: - Standardized communication between systems regardless of platform or language. - Enterprise-level applications requiring strict message formats and strong error handling. - Interoperability with legacy systems and complex workflows.

How it works?

SOAP works by: - Sending XML-formatted requests from a client to a server. - The server processes the request, executes the operation, and returns a structured XML response. - It supports WSDL (Web Services Description Language) to describe the service interface. - SOAP can work over various transport protocols like HTTP, SMTP, TCP, or JMS.

Where is SOAP used?

SOAP is commonly used in: - Enterprise applications - Financial and banking systems - Telecommunication platforms - Government and healthcare services - Anywhere requiring robust standards, strict contracts, and reliable delivery

Which OSI layer does this protocol belong to?

SOAP operates at the Application Layer (Layer 7) of the OSI model.

Is SOAP Windows specific?

No, SOAP is not Windows specific. While Microsoft’s .NET framework supports SOAP-based services, it is a platform-independent standard supported on many operating systems.

Is SOAP Linux specific?

No, SOAP is not Linux specific. It is supported across platforms and can be implemented using Java, Python, PHP, C#, and more on both Linux and non-Linux systems.

Which Transport Protocol is used by SOAP?

SOAP is transport-independent, but most commonly uses HTTP and HTTPS. It can also be used with SMTP, FTP, JMS, or even raw TCP.

Which Port is used by SOAP?

SOAP services over HTTP typically use: - Port 80 for HTTP - Port 443 for HTTPS However, custom ports may also be used depending on server configuration.

Is SOAP using Client server model?

Yes, SOAP uses a client-server model. The client sends a structured XML request to a SOAP server, which processes the request and returns a response. The interaction is governed by WSDL and SOAP specifications.

Topics in this section,

  • In this section, you are going to learn

  • Terminology

  • Version Info

  • rfc details

  • setup

  • setup

  • packet details

  • usecases

  • features

  • Reference links