What is the difference between SOAP and HTTP?


Let us understand the concept of Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP).

SOAP

SOAP represents Simple Object Access Protocol. It is an XML-based protocol for penetrating web services. SOAP is a W3C recommendation for connection between two applications. SOAP is an XML based protocol.

It is platform-independent and language-independent. By using SOAP, it will be able to connect with other programming language applications.

The SOAP specifications are authorized internet standards, maintained and developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

It is an authorized protocol and it appears with rigid rules and improved security features including built-in ACID compliance and authorization. It needed more bandwidth and resources, which can lead to easy page load times.

It depends heavily on XML, and together with schemas, represents a very powerful typed messaging framework. All data transform between user and server happens over a common format such as XML and it has a defined structure named SOAP messages.

Its structure includes envelopes, header & body header, such as data about messages, authentication, complex types, routing data, etc. The body includes actual data of request, which is defined to be sent to the server.

HTTP

HTTP represents Hypertext Transfer Protocol. HTTP is the protocol that can transfer information over the web. It is the Internet protocol suite technique and describes commands and functions used for sending web page information.

HTTP uses a server-client model. A client, for instance, can be a computer or telephone device. The HTTP server is frequently a web host running web server software, such as Apache or IIS.

HTTP also represents commands such as GET and POST, which are used to handle submissions on websites. The CONNECT command can act as a fast connection that is encrypted using SSL.

HTTP is equivalent to SMTP as the data is transferred between client and server. The HTTP contrast from the SMTP in how the messages are shared from the client to the server and from the server to the client. SMTP messages are saved and advanced, while HTTP messages are delivered directly.

The HTTP protocol is media independent as data can be transmitted as long as both the user and server know how to manage the data content. It is necessary for both the user and server to specify the content type in the MIME-type header.

The concept of the HTTP protocol is easy. A client sends a request, which views like mail, to the server. The server sends the response, which view like a mail acknowledge, to the client. The request and response messages carry information in the form of a letter with a MIME-like structure.

The commands from the client to the server installed in a letter-like request message. The contents of the requested documents or several data embedded in a letter-like response message.

Updated on: 23-Nov-2021

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