The Motive Internet Glossary
Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)
SOAP is a protocol defining how XML-encoded information can be passed using the web-standard hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).
SOAP defines an XML structure (schema) that can be used to call a method (i.e. start a program/process) and pass that method parameters (information to be processed). It also defines a structure for how the results of the process are returned (sent back).
The key benefit of SOAP is that it provides a technology standard that can be used to communicate between programs running under different operating systems in a network: (significantly) the internet. A program running on one computer can use SOAP to send information to a program on another computer. The computer receiving the information may send information in response or initiate an additional process.
Reference links
- What
is SOAP? (Search Web Services)
A presentation of SOAP and its applications (requires Flash).
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