What is WCF and how does it differ from ASMX web services?

Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) is a framework for building service-oriented applications. It is a unified programming model for building and connecting distributed systems.

WCF differs from ASMX web services in several ways:

• Protocol Support: WCF supports multiple protocols such as HTTP, TCP, Named Pipes, and MSMQ, whereas ASMX web services are limited to HTTP protocol.
• Message Patterns: WCF allows for various message patterns such as request-reply, one-way, and duplex, while ASMX web services primarily support request-reply pattern.
• Hosting Options: WCF provides more flexibility in hosting options, allowing services to be hosted in IIS, self-hosted, or within any custom host, whereas ASMX web services are mainly hosted in IIS.
• Interoperability: WCF offers better support for interoperability with other platforms and systems, due to its flexibility in protocol and message format choices.