Updated March 6, 2023
Difference Between SOAP and WSDL
SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) is basically the XML based messaging protocol specification that is used for exchanging distinct and structured information in the implementation of web services in computer networks. WSDL (Web Services Description Language) is basically an XML-based interface definition language for defining different web service functionalities. Microsoft and IBM developed it.
Please find below the SOAP elements present in the XML document.
- Header: This section mainly contains the initial section and the optional attributes involved in the message. This is basically an optional element.
- Body: This section mainly contains the communicating message related data and information.
- Envelope: This basically defines the start and endpoint of the message, and this is the mandatory one.
- Fault: This mainly covers the fault element information, and it is related to the message processing error-related information. This is an optional part.
Find below the three important characteristics of SOAP messages.
- Extensibility: This is mainly from the security and different related extension development perspective.
- Independence: It provides support for all or most of the programming models.
- Neutrality: It provides support and fully operational over most of the protocols like HTTP, JMS, SMTP, etc.
Find below a few important features of WSDL.
- It is an XML based protocol that is used in exchanging process in decentralized and distributed environments.
- It defines the web service access process and its operations.
- It defines the implementation and communication process with XML based services.
- UUDI use to work on the WSDL language.
Head to Head Comparison between SOAP and WSDL (Infographics)
Below is the top 8 difference between SOAP vs WSDL :
Key Differences between SOAP and WSDL
Both are popular choices in the market; let us discuss some of the major Difference:
- SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) is basically the XML based messaging protocol specification that is used for exchanging distinct and structured information in the implementation of web services in computer networks, whereas WSDL (Web Services Description Language) is an XML-based interface definition language for defining different web service functionalities.
- SOAP is a favourable choice from the extensibility perspective than WSDL, and it provides different layers of security and related extension support.
- In the case of SOAP, it provides support for all or most of the programming models, but this is not the case with WSDL files.
- There is also a lot of community support for SOAP and its users, whereas WSDL also provides a large range of community and paid support. Normally all the WSDL versions use to provide long-term customer support.
- WSDL is more preferred than SOAP from the performance perspective as it may be a little bit slower sometime due to the fundamental actualization and binding processes.
- WSDL explains the framework patterns for the webserver communication and internet message transfer process more closely and clearly than SOAP.
- SOAP has the encryption capability for messages and restricted view filter process, but this is not much smoother and easily handled in the case of WSDL.
- SOAP provides different layers of security patches towards its related supports and appears to be more secure than WSDL security handling.
- SOAP has four layers of architecture like Header, Body, Envelope, and Fault, whereas, in the case of WSDL architecture, it has three main elements for the same like Types, Binding, and Operations.
SOAP vs WSDL Comparison Table
Below is the topmost Comparison between SOAP vs WSDL :
| The basis Of Comparison |
SOAP |
WSDL |
| Definition | SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) is the XML based messaging protocol specification that is used for exchanging distinct and structured information in the implementation of web services in computer networks. | WSDL (Web Services Description Language) is an XML-based interface definition language for defining different web service functionalities. |
| Architecture | SOAP has four layers of architecture: Header, Body, Envelope, Fault. |
In the case of WSDL architecture, it has three main elements for the same. Types, Binding, Operations. |
| Simplicity | In the case of SOAP, coding is the initial step of programming complex queries, and it is easier than programming. | In the case of WSDL, it handles different complex situations and queries to produce the proper machine level outputs. So, it is an advanced version of coding and other different approaches. Thus, it is much more complex than SOAP. |
| Neutrality | In the case of SOAP, it provides support and fully operational over most of the protocols like HTTP, JMS, SMTP, etc. | In the case of WSDL, it doesn’t provide support to most of the protocols like SOAP. |
| Performance | From the performance perspective, SOAP can be a little bit slower than WSDL due to the fundamental actualization and binding processes. | In the case of WSDL, it proves to be a little bit faster communicating and performing than the SOAP interphase and web servers communication. |
| Mode of Operation | In the case of SOAP, existing firewalls and proxies can be easily linked due to its easier transaction and communication across HTTP servers. | In the case of WSDL, it is directly communicated through web servers, and thus the link-up process is not as smoother as in SOAP. |
| Independence | In the case of SOAP, it provides support for all or most of the programming models. | This is not the case for WSDL, and there is a dependency that exists for different programming models. |
| Support | There is also a lot of community support for SOAP and its users. | WSDL also provides a large range of community and paid support. Normally all the WSDL versions use to provide long-term customer support. |
Conclusion
After comparing SOAP vs WSDL over a range of factors, it can be concluded that these are the two important XML based web service communicating programming languages. SOAP is used to exchange distinct and structured information to implement web services in computer networks, whereas WSDL is used to define different web service functionalities. But, like the two sides of a coin, at the same point in time, each one has its pros and cons. So, before choosing any one of them, developers should learn and analyze different aspects of both SOAP vs WSDL. Thus, based on the type of project need, time of work and all other different discussed aspects, any of these two should be selected to reach the desired goal.
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