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JSON vs SOAP

Priya Pedamkar
Article byPriya Pedamkar

Updated March 6, 2023

JSON vs SOAP

 

 

Difference Between JSON and SOAP

Web services are created using either JSON or SOAP. SOAP, Simple Object Access Protocol, is a standard protocol for sending messages that are managed by the W3C consortium. SOAP has many rules and several security features that increase its complexity. It has built-in compliance and authorization. Since it requires more bandwidth, the application can be slow. JSON is an architectural style developed to overcome the problems of SOAP. Developers can implement communication in their own style, and the standards of JSON will not stop them from doing so. JSON is lightweight and also faster than SOAP.

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JSON

JSON is an acronym for JavaScript Object Notation. It is lightweight in nature and used for the purpose of data interchange. The most important advantage of JSON is that it is easy for humans to understand, i.e. read and write. It is even easy for any machines to parse and generate. This is based on Standard ECMA-262 3rd Edition, December 1999, which is a subset of the JavaScript Programming Language.

Build the Structure of JSON:

  • The format maintained in JSON is a collection of key/value pairs. In different languages, it is realized as an object, record, struct, dictionary, hash table, keyed list, or associative array.
  • It could be an ordered list of values. In different languages, it is realized as an array, vector, list, or sequence.

Now coming to the part of data exchange between browsers and servers, we all know that data can only be text.

As already mentioned, JSON is text, and it could be converted from any JavaScript object into JSON, and then JSON could be sent to the server. Similarly, we can also convert any JSON which we received from the server into JavaScript objects.

This is a very simple method by which we could send and receive the message and set up a communication between the server and browser with no complicated parsing and translations.

I would also like to bring it to your attention that JavaScript also provides the built-in function to convert to a string from JSON format into native JavaScript objects:

JSON.parse ()

Thus if we receive data from a server in JSON format, it could be easily transformed into a JavaScript object for use.

SOAP

The following are the few characteristics of the SOAP protocol.

  • SOAP is a communication protocol, and it is designed to communicate over the Internet.
  • SOAP can be used for XML messaging by extending HTTP.
  • SOAP provides the mechanism for data transport via. Web services.
  • SOAP has the ability to exchange complete documents, or it can call a remote procedure.
  • SOAP can even be used for message broadcasting.
  • SOAP is language-independent, and it could run on any platform, i.e. platform-independent.
  • With the SOAP, it is possible to define what information is sent and how.
  • It can connect the client’s application to remote services and even invoke remote methods.

As mentioned above, SOAP messages are platform and language independent because they are written entirely in XML format.

The basic structure of SOAP, being written in XML, so it contains the following elements along with other elements:-

  • Envelope− It is a mandatory element. It used to indicate the start and the end of the message.
  • Header− It is an optional element. It may contain any number of optional attributes of the message used for processing, either at the middle point or at the endpoint.
  • Body− It is also a mandatory element. It basically contains the XML data that need to be sent.
  • Fault– It is an optional element. This element plays the role of throwing the error messages when the fault occurs, which processing the messages.

Head To Head Comparison Between JSON and SOAP (Infographics)

Below is the top 12 difference between JSON vs SOAP:

JSON vs SOAP infographics

Key Difference Between JSON and SOAP

Both are popular choices in the market; let us discuss some of the major difference:

  • SOAP is a protocol that means a set of rules. JSON is an object.
  • SOAP can use JSON for communication, but the reverse is not at all possible.
  • SOAP uses XML format, whereas JSON uses a key-value pair.
  • The error message can be declared with SOAP, but the same is not possible with JSON.
  • Comparison between JSON vs SOAP.

JSON

{
"g": {
"title": "TEST",
"GDiv": {
"title": "S",
"GList": {
"GEntry": {
"ID": "SGML",
"SortAs": "SGML",
"GTerm": "XML language",
"Acronym": "SGML","Abbrev": "ISO 8879:1986",
"GDef": {
"para": "A meta-markup language, used to create markup
languages such as DocBook.",
"GSeeAlso": ["GML", "XML"] },
"GSee": "markup"
}
}
}
}
}

SOAP

<!DOCTYPE glossary PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook V3.1//EN">
<g><title>TEST</title>
<GDiv><title>S</title>
<GList>
<GEntry ID="SGML" SortAs="SGML">
<GTerm> XML language </GTerm>
<Acronym>SGML</Acronym>
<Abbrev>ISO 8879:1986</Abbrev>
<GDef>
<para>A meta-markup language, used to create markuplanguages such as DocBook.</para><GSeeAlso OtherTerm="GML">
<GSeeAlso OtherTerm="XML">
</GDef>
<GSee OtherTerm="markup">
</GEntry>
</GList>
</GDiv>
</g>

NOTE: The examples used above are taken from https://json.org.

JSON vs SOAP Comparison Table

Below is the topmost comparison between JSON vs SOAP.

JSON SOAP
It is an object. It is a protocol.
Cannot communicate to servers or browsers by itself. It has the ability to communicate with both browsers and servers.
It maintains  a format of the key-value pair It maintains an XML format
It cannot be. It is itself the message. It can be used for messaging by extending HTTP.
It contains the message only. It contains envelop, headers, body, faults, etc. Some of the elements are optional.
It lacks the ability as it is just an object. Has the ability to connect to the client’s application in a remote location.
It cannot be used. It can be used for message broadcasting.
JSON cannot use SOAP. SOAP can use JSON.
Lighter than SOAP. Heavier as compared to JSON.
Language independent. It is also language-independent.
East to understand the format. Technical knowledge is required to understand completely.
Example:
{"menu": {
"id": "file",
"value": "File",
"popup": {
"menuitem": [
{"value": "New", "onclick": "CreateNewDoc()"},
{"value": "Open",
"onclick": "OpenDoc()"},
{"value": "Close",
"onclick": "CloseDoc()"}
] }
}}		 Example:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<soap:Envelope xmlns:soap="http://www.w3.org/2003/05/soap-envelope/"
soap:encodingStyle="http://www.w3.org/2003/05/soap-encoding">
<soap:Header> ... </soap:Header>
<soap:Body> ... <soap:Fault> ... </soap:Fault> </soap:Body>
</soap:Envelope>

Conclusion

So after the discussion, we can come to the conclusion that SOAP vs JSON both are very different things and it beyond Comparable. We have come across some basic facts about both JSON vs SOAP during our discussion, and we find that one is an object and the latter is a protocol. JSON uses a key-value pair, whereas SOAP uses XML. SOAP can use JSON, but the reverse is not true. I have also tried to explain with examples, and thus the above point proves that both JSON vs SOAP are two different things and are not comparable.

Recommended Articles

This has been a guide to the top difference between JSON vs SOAP. Here we also discuss the JSON vs SOAP key differences with infographics and comparison table. You may also have a look at the following articles to learn more.

  1. Soap vs Rest
  2. JSON vs CSV
  3. JSON vs BSON
  4. XML vs JSON