Web services define a program-to-program, services-oriented communications model that is based on an XML messaging format.
The web service model is built on existing and emerging standards, such as Extensible Markup Language (XML), Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and the Web Services Description Language (WSDL).
XML is an extensible markup language that can describe complicated structures in ways that are easy for programs and people to understand. Web services depend heavily on XML. XML uses textual data instead of binary data to represent content, such as integers, that are often represented differently by the various hardware and software programming languages that are used today. XML is language and operating system independent, which saves time and resources when you are integrating applications with IBM® Content Manager
Typically, a SOAP envelope with zero or more attachments represents a SOAP message. The SOAP message envelope contains the header and the body of the message. The SOAP message attachments enable the message to contain data, which can include XML and non-XML data (such as text and binary files). SOAP headers are used to describe the context and the purpose of the message. SOAP headers also provide mechanisms to extend a SOAP message for adding features and defining functions such as security, priority, and auditing.
In a service-oriented architecture, the interface definition is crucial. It is the interface definition that serves as the contract between what the web service provides and what the client can expect.
Web services use WSDL, another set of XML tags that are used to describe the web service interface. WSDL describes the location of the web service, how to connect to it, which parameters must be passed in the SOAP request, which values to return, binding information, and so on.
The web service model leverages the XML, HTTP, SOAP, and WSDL technologies and protocols to provide an environment that makes application integration easier, faster, and more cost effective. Web services allow any network-enabled, XML-aware application to invoke a web service regardless of the programming language or operating system involved.
To work with the IBM Content Manager web services, you must have a working knowledge of the web service technology. To find out more about the web service standards, see World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
