This document provides an overview of the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP). It defines SOAP as a messaging protocol that uses XML for exchanging structured information between computer systems, relying on protocols like HTTP for message transmission. The document outlines SOAP's key features, including its message structure of envelope, header, and body. It also describes how SOAP is used to enable web services and provides an example of a SOAP request/response message exchange.

1. Index
● What is Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)?
● Important points about Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)
● Key Features of Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)
● Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) of Web Services
● Message Structure of Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)
● Applications of Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)
● Example of Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)
● Conclusion

2. What is Simple Object Access Protocol ?
SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) is a
messaging protocol specification for exchanging
structured information in the implementation of web
services in computer networks. It uses XML as its
message format and relies on other application-level
protocols, such as HTTP and SMTP, for message
negotiation and transmission.
SOAP is an extensible protocol that can be used to
exchange a wide range of information, including
simple data types, complex data structures, and even
multimedia content.

3. Important points about Simple Object Access Protocol
● SOAP is a messaging protocol specification for exchanging structured
information in the implementation of web services
● Uses XML as its message format
● Relies on other application-level protocols (e.g. HTTP, SMTP) for message
negotiation and transmission
● Extensible protocol that can exchange a wide range of information (simple data
types, complex data structures, multimedia content)
● Platform- and language-agnostic (can be used between systems written in
different languages and running on different platforms)

4. Key Features of Simple Object Access Protocol
● Uses web services
● Message structure (envelope, header, body)
● Application in various contexts (e.g. remote procedure calls, data
retrieval)

5. Simple Object Access Protocol of Web Services
● Self-contained, modular applications that can be accessed over a network
● Simple interface described in a Web Services Description Language (WSDL) document
● SOAP messages are sent over HTTP or another application-level protocol
● Can be used to invoke methods on a remote server, retrieve data from a server, or
perform other actions

6. Message Structure of Simple Object Access Protocol
A message consists of some particular structure that is,
● SOAP envelope, which defines the structure of the message and encloses the
message content.
● SOAP header, which can contain optional information such as authentication
credentials or other metadata.
● SOAP body, which contains the actual data being exchanged between the
systems.

7. Applications of Simple Object Access Protocol
• Remote procedure calls
• Data retrieval
• Other actions (e.g. data manipulation, messaging)
Overall, the applications of SOAP are quite varied and can be tailored to meet the
specific needs of a particular system or use case.

8. Example of Simple Object Access Protocol
Imagine that a client system wants to retrieve some information from a server system.
The client system sends a SOAP request message to the server, using HTTP as the
transport protocol. The request message is an XML document that contains the
following elements:
• A SOAP envelope.
• A SOAP header.
• A SOAP body.

9. Example of Simple Object Access Protocol
The server system receives the request message, processes it, and returns a response
message to the client. The response message is also an XML document, with a similar
structure to the request message.
Here is an example of a SOAP request message that might be used to retrieve
information from a server:

10. Example of Simple Object Access Protocol
This request message contains a
header element that includes
authentication credentials, and a
body element that specifies the
information that the client system is
requesting. The server system
processes the request and returns a
response message containing the
requested information.

11. Conclusion
● SOAP is a widely used protocol for exchanging information between systems via
web services
● Key features include its use of web services, its message structure, and its
ability to be used in various contexts
● Provides a platform- and language-agnostic solution for exchanging a wide
range of information over the web

12. Thank you