What is WCF (Windows Communication Foundation)?

Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) is a framework for building service-oriented applications in .NET. It provides a unified programming model for building and connecting distributed systems using various communication protocols.

How is WCF different from ASMX web services in .NET?

• Protocol Support: WCF supports multiple communication protocols such as HTTP, TCP, IPC, and more, while ASMX web services are limited to SOAP over HTTP.
• Service Hosting: WCF services can be hosted in various environments like IIS, Windows Services, and Self-hosting, whereas ASMX services are typically hosted in IIS.
• Message Patterns: WCF supports various message exchange patterns like one-way, request-reply, duplex, etc., providing more flexibility compared to ASMX web services.
• Interoperability: WCF offers better interoperability by supporting various industry standards and protocols.
• Extensibility: WCF allows developers to create custom behaviors, bindings, and channels for advanced customization, which is not directly possible with ASMX web services.