Understanding Web Services: XML, WSDL, SOAP, and UDDI

Web services enable the new generation of Internet-based applications. These services support application-to-application Internet communication--that is, applications at different network locations can be integrated to function as if they were part of a single, large software system. Examples of applications made possible by Web services include automated B2B transactions, as well as desktop and handheld devices' client access to reservation and order-tracking and the like. Several key standards have emerged that together form the foundation for Web services: XML (eXtensible Markup Language), SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol), UDDI (Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration), and WSDL (Web Services Definition Language). In addition, ebXML (Electronic Business XML) has been developed recently to facilitate automated business process integration among trading partners.