Difference between SOAP and REST, Use Cases
Having a massive set of possible software solutions is a challenge. Picking the specific approach for specific parts of the web applications is another, and web developers today have to juggle many of these decisions with changing standards or approaches appearing daily.
SOAP was long the standard approach to web service interfaces, although it’s been dominated by REST in recent years. According to Stormpath REST now representing more than 70% of public APIs.
The Similarities
While SOAP and REST share similarities over the HTTP protocol, SOAP is a more rigid set of messaging patterns than REST. The rules in SOAP are important because we can’t achieve any level of standardization without them. REST as an architecture style does not require processing and is naturally more flexible. Both SOAP and REST rely on well-established rules that everyone has agreed to abide by in the interest of exchanging information.
Soap Advantages
SOAP provides the following advantages when compared to REST:
• Language, platform, and transport protocol independent (REST requires the use of HTTP);
• Works well in distributed enterprise environments (REST assumes direct point-to-point communication);
• Standardized;
• Provides significant pre-build extensibility in the form of the WS* standards;
• Built-in error handling;
• Automation when used with certain language products.
REST Advantages
REST is easier to use for the most part and is more flexible. It has the following advantages over SOAP:
• No expensive tools required to interact with the web service;
• Smaller learning curve;
• Efficient (SOAP uses XML for all messages, REST can use smaller message formats);
• Fast (no extensive processing required);
• Closer to other web technologies in design philosophy.
Unless you plan to create your web service, the decision of which protocol to use can be forward to the specialist. Extremely few web services, such as Amazon, support both. Your decision’s focus often centers on which web service best meets your needs, rather than which protocol to use. Follow the guide to learn more.
