Define web services:

Web services are applications that perform simple to complex business processes. They are also known as business process interfaces. W3C defines web services as software systems designed to support inter operational machine interactions over a network. Web services make it possible for programs like PHP, ASP etc to make a request to a program which is running on another server and to use the response to that request in the website.

Standard Support:

These web-based applications use SOAP/XML, WSDL, UDDI open standards over an internet protocol base. The functions of the various standards are

• XML tags the data
• SOAP transfers the data
• WSDL describes the available services
• UDDI lists the available services

Advantages of Web services:

• The web service is provided by the web server which runs at the backdrop waiting for the clients to connect to them.
• Web services are used as a business source to communicate with each other and with clients.
• Every web service acts as an interaction point to give inputs or receive outputs during the business process. It makes the interaction smooth and reliable.
• Web service allows communication within organizations without giving out the details of the organizations IT structure.
• Web services allow different applications from different sources to communicate with each other without many hassles.
• Web services are not restricted to any particular operating system or programming language.

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