However, the application's REST API could expose a URL called /employees, and a POST request to that URL would create a new employee record. To create an employee, you would specify the function name in your SOAP message when sending a request. The application's SOAP API could expose a function called CreateEmployee. For example, consider an application with employee data that other applications can manipulate. The SOAP API exposes functions or operations, while REST APIs are data-driven. This creates significant differences in how SOAP APIs and REST APIs behave. SOAP is a protocol, while REST is an architectural style. Rest API responses are typically in JSON but can also be of a different data format. You send REST requests using HTTP verbs like GET and POST. The API response can include a code snippet if required. The API completes every new request independently of previous requests. The API returns data in a standard format that is complete and fully useable. The server can have several intermediaries that work together to complete client requests, but they are invisible to the client. The sender and receiver are independent of each other regarding technology, platforming, programming language, and so on. These are the six principles REST APIs follow: REST is a software architectural style that imposes six conditions on how an API should work. However, SOAP APIs and SOAP web services always return XML documents in their responses. Due to the envelope, you can also send requests to SOAP web services with other transport protocols, like TCP or Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP). This is a data structure that modifies the underlying HTTP content with SOAP request requirements. When you send a request to a SOAP API, you must wrap your HTTP request in a SOAP envelope. Web Services Description Language (WSDL) describes the scope and function of SOAP web services.WS-ReliableMessaging standardizes error handling in SOAP messaging.Web Services Addressing (WS-Addressing) requires including routing information as metadata.Web Services Security (WS-Security) specifies security measures like using unique identifiers called tokens.For example, here are some standards SOAP uses: It has several associated standards that control every aspect of the data exchange. SOAP is a protocol that defines rigid communication rules. REST web services are also called RESTful web services. REST was developed after SOAP and inherently solves many of its shortcomings. New web service standards have been added over time to accommodate technology changes, but they create additional overheads. SOAP is an older technology that requires a strict communication contract between systems. In this case, REST APIs may require additional software modules to enforce the state at the server or database level. And SOAP may be better suited for high data integrity requirements. SOAP has built-in compliance for atomicity, consistency, isolation, and durability (ACID). ACID complianceĭo your API users require stringent consistency and data integrity across a chain of transactions? For instance, finance transactions require an entire batch of data updates to fail if even one update fails. Conversely, some private APIs for internal enterprise requirements (like data reporting for compliance) may benefit from the tighter security measures in WS-Security of SOAP. So, REST is a better choice when you build public APIs. Public APIs have lower security requirements and demand greater flexibility so anyone can interact with them. However, if you need to integrate or extend legacy systems that already have SOAP APIs, you may be better off continuing with SOAP. REST gives you the scalability and flexibility to design applications using modern architecture patterns like microservices and containers. Modern applications like mobile apps and hybrid applications work better with REST APIs. The following criteria are worth considering. Before choosing between SOAP and REST, consider your scenarios and your API users' requirements.
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