SOAP Quick Tutorial

SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol)

What is SOAP?  SOAP is a simple XML based protocol used to exchange information between applications. SOAP is a communication protocol, W3C recommended and it platform independent.


SOAP Message :

The SOAP message has mainly below parts

1. SOAP Envelope - Root element for the SOAP message.Will have SOAP body
2. SOAP Header  - (Optional)  - It hold information about how the message should be processed
3. SOAP Body  - (Required) The real payload of message will be part of the SOAP Body
4. SOAP Fault - (Optional) - This is used to indicate error and report the error messages.

A Sample Skeleton SOAP Message

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<soapenv:Envelope  xmlns:soapenv="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/">

<soapenv:Header>
...
</soapenv:Header>

<ssoapenv:Body>
...
  <soapenv:Fault>
  ...
  </soapenv:Fault>
</soapenv:Body>

</ssoapenv:Envelope>




Notes :


1. xmlns:soapenv Namespace will always have the same value http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/


2. mustUnderstand Attribute is added to the child nodes of the SOAP header to indicate whether it is mandatory for the recipient to process the header.Possible value are 1 or 0.



<soapenv:Header>
         <child soapenv:mustUnderstand="1">test</child>
</soapenv:Header>


3. actor Attribute













A SOAP Message


PIC 1


A SOAP Message with Attachment


PIC 2