Win a copy of Getting started with Java on the Raspberry Pi this week in the Raspberry Pi forum!
  • Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
programming forums Java Mobile Certification Databases Caching Books Engineering Micro Controllers OS Languages Paradigms IDEs Build Tools Frameworks Application Servers Open Source This Site Careers Other Pie Elite all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
Marshals:
  • Campbell Ritchie
  • Ron McLeod
  • Paul Clapham
  • Tim Cooke
  • Jeanne Boyarsky
Sheriffs:
  • Rob Spoor
  • Devaka Cooray
  • Liutauras Vilda
Saloon Keepers:
  • Stephan van Hulst
  • Tim Holloway
  • Carey Brown
  • Tim Moores
  • Mikalai Zaikin
Bartenders:
  • Piet Souris

WebService Vs. SOAP over HTTP

 
Greenhorn
Posts: 9
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I have a very fundamental question. Is a system called a WebService only if there is a corresponding WSDL developed and use UDDI? How about a system that accept SOAP messages over HTTP based on some common understanding between the interacting parties. Is that called Webservice as well?
Thanks for your time.
 
Author
Posts: 80
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Here is a definition of Web Service taken fromW3C Web Services Glossary:

A Web service is a software system designed to support interoperable machine-to-machine interaction over a network. It has an interface described in a machine-processable format (specifically WSDL). Other systems interact with the Web service in a manner prescribed by its description using SOAP-messages, typically conveyed using HTTP with an XML serialization in conjunction with other Web-related standards.


As per this definition, a WSDL based description of the interface is mandatory.
 
S Kumar
Greenhorn
Posts: 9
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Thanks for the quote and response, Pankaj. I guess, what I am getting is that SOAP over HTTP could be used as a mechanism for a Service oriented architecture, but it is not a true Web Service.
 
author
Posts: 92
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I think if you are using SOAP and HTTP, than its a Web service of sorts. In my book I define a Web service in the J2EE space as a service that adheres to the recommendations of the WS-I Basic Profile. That's a pretty specific definition that does include the use of WSDL, but its important to understand that this defintion is just one of many.
 
And then the entire population worshiped me like unto a god. Well, me and this tiny ad:
Low Tech Laboratory
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/paulwheaton/low-tech-0
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic