What does SOAP stand for?

SOAP stands for Simple Object Access Protocol. It is a protocol used for exchanging structured information in the implementation of web services. The name highlights its primary purpose: to provide a simple way to access objects over a network. SOAP allows different applications built on various programming languages to communicate with each other, making it an essential part of web services. It uses XML for message formatting and usually relies on other application layer protocols, such as HTTP or SMTP, for message negotiation and transmission.

Being a protocol, SOAP defines a standard communication process but also maintains a level of complexity, offering features such as error handling and the ability to work with asynchronous processing. This stands in contrast to more straightforward communication methods, emphasizing the versatility and robustness of SOAP for enterprise-level applications.