The document compares SOAP and REST web services. SOAP uses XML envelopes and defines standards like WS-Security, but requires more complex infrastructure. REST uses a simpler architecture based on HTTP methods, is more lightweight and performs better. It supports multiple representations like JSON and is easier to build, maintain and test. While REST provides less standardized enterprise features, it enables more scalable and cacheable solutions.

1. SOAP vs. REST Putting SOAP to REST Igor MoochnickIgorShare Consulting igor@igorshare.com Blog: www.igorshare.com/blog

2. It’s not about one vs. another, but it’s about more tools in your toolbox

3. SOAP Call POST http://igorshare.com/weather HTTP/1.1 Content-Type: application/soap+xml Content-Length: 198 <?xml version="1.0"?> <soap:Envelopexmlns:soap=“http://...” soap:encodingStyle="http://..."><soap:Bodyxmlns:m="http://igorshare.com/weather"> <m:GetTemperature> <m:Zip>02451</m:Zip> </m:GetTemperature ></soap:Body> </soap:Envelope> REST Call GET http://igorshare.com/weather/?zip=02451 HTTP/1.1 Content-Type: application/json

4. HTTP Methods

5. HTTP Methods like CRUD

6. SOAP Mature tool support Transport Independence Headers are inside the message Send SOAP envelope over SMTP, FTP, MSMQ, JMS, … WS-* WS-Security WS-ReliableMessaging WS-AtomicTransaction WS-BusinessActivity

7. Why REST Good performance Scalable Easy to build and maintain (simplicity) Easy monitoring Reliable (handling failure, failover, …) Easy to use and test Constraints: Uniform interface Addressable Connectedness Stateless Cacheable

8. ROA Resource Oriented Architecture Addressability Connectedness (guide from state to state) Stateless Uniform Interface Every resource should be addressable Bookmark Email Link Monitoring Easy to test

9. REST Simplicity Multiple representations – JSON, CSV, XHTML, XML, etc… Human Readable Results Performance: Scalable architecture Lightweight requests and responses Easier response parsing Bandwidth saving tools (caching, conditional GET, …) Perfect for AJAX clients (using JSON representation)

10. REST (Advanced) Security SSL – encryption: proven track record (SSL1.0 from 1994) Basic authentication Digest authentication WSSE Username Token Transactions No specific HTTP headers are available Many options are available, can use multiple POST/PUT Think of “shopping cart”

11. REST (Advanced) Conditional GET (bandwidth saving tool)

12. REST (Advanced) Caching Expires: {date} Cache-Control: {age/no-cache} Look Before You Leap (saves bandwidth) PUT /…/{id} Expect: 100-Continue Result codes: 417 (Expectation Failed) // If service rejects request 100 (Continue) // If service accepts request

13. HTTP Success Status Codes

14. HTTP Redirection Status Codes

15. HTTP Error Status Codes

16. HTTP Server Error Status Codes

18. REST Weaknesses Confusion (high REST vs. low REST) Is it really 4 verbs? (HTTP 1.1. has 8 verbs: HEAD, GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, TRACE, OPTIONS, and CONNECT) Mapping REST-style synchronous semantics on top of back end systems creates design mismatches (when they are based on asynchronous messaging or event driven interaction) Cannot deliver enterprise-style “-ilities” beyond HTTP/SSL Challenging to identify and locate resources appropriately in all applications Apparent lack of standards (other than URI, HTTP, XML, MIME, HTML) Semantics/Syntax description very informal (user/human oriented)

19. WADL WADL (Web Application Description Language) Not a widely used as WSDL My opinion: overkill Most REST services are self-documented or have a textual description

20. WADL Example <application xmlns:xsi=“…”> <grammars> <include href="ticker.xsd"/> </grammars> <resources base="http://www.example.org/services/"> <resource path="getStockQuote"> <method name="GET"> <request> <param name="symbol" style="query“ type="xsd:string"/> </request> <response> <representation mediaType="application/xml" element="ex:quoteResponse"/> <fault status="400" ediaType="application/xml" element="ex:error"/> </response> </method> </resource> </resources> </application>

21. So what’s RDF? Resource Description Framework Doesn’t require fore-knowledge of type Applies common ontology High discoverability Great framework. Terrible metaphor. Subject/Predicate/Object ?? Entity/Attribute/Value !!

22. RDF Example <?xml version="1.0"?> <rdf:RDFxmlns:rdf="...” xmlns:cd="..."> <rdf:Descriptionrdf:about="http://www.recshop.fake/cd/Empire Burlesque"> <cd:artist>Bob Dylan</cd:artist> <cd:country>USA</cd:country> <cd:company>Columbia</cd:company> <cd:price>10.90</cd:price> <cd:year>1985</cd:year> </rdf:Description> <rdf:Descriptionrdf:about="http://www.recshop.fake/cd/Hide your heart"> <cd:artist>Bonnie Tyler</cd:artist> <cd:country>UK</cd:country> <cd:company>CBS Records</cd:company> <cd:price>9.90</cd:price> <cd:year>1988</cd:year> </rdf:Description> </rdf:RDF>

23. More Info…. Fiddler Web Proxy Tool (http://fiddler2.com/fiddler2/ ) WCF ReST Starter Kit (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/netframework/cc950529.aspx) PluralSightScreencast – Aaron Skonnard (http://channel9.msdn.com/shows/Endpoint/endpointtv-Screencast-Consuming-REST-services-with-HttpClient/)