The Difference between SOAP and REST in Web Services

SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) and REST (Representational State Transfer) are two commonly used web service communication protocols that are used to exchange data between systems.

SOAP:

SOAP is a protocol that uses XML for sending messages over the internet. It relies heavily on XML, and typically uses HTTP as the transport protocol. SOAP is known for its strict messaging structure and support for various security standards.

REST:

REST is an architectural style that uses standard HTTP methods like GET, POST, PUT, DELETE to perform actions on resources. It is more lightweight compared to SOAP and is not bound to a specific technology or protocol. RESTful APIs are stateless and rely on URLs to represent resources.

The Key Differences:

• SOAP is XML-based, while REST can support multiple data formats like JSON, XML, plain text, etc.
• SOAP is more rigid and follows a specific messaging structure, while REST provides flexibility in message formats.
• SOAP relies on XML schemas for defining the contract, while REST uses URLs and standard HTTP methods.
• SOAP has built-in security features like WS-Security, while in REST, security is implemented separately (e.g., using OAuth).
• SOAP is suitable for enterprise-level applications that require strict message validation and security, while REST is more commonly used for lightweight and public APIs.