REST API vs SOAP API (original) (raw)
Last Updated : 9 Dec, 2025
REST (Representational State Transfer) and SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) are the two most common methods for client-server communication. REST uses standard HTTP methods and is lightweight, while SOAP is a protocol with strict rules, often used in complex enterprise systems.
REST API
REST or Representational State Transfer, is an architectural style for building web services. It is mostly used for lightweight and stateless communication. It uses simple HTTP methods like GET, POST, PUT and DELETE to perform operations on the data resources.
- Rest uses URI, i.e., Uniform Resource Identifier and assumes everything as a resource.
- It does not store any past data or requests and performs independent operations.
- It relies on the HTTP method to request any type of operation on the resource.
- REST can work with any format (JSON, XML, HTML, plain text). JSON is the most common.
SOAP API
SOAP, or Simple Object Access Protocol, is a messaging protocol. It allows the exchange of structural information without any platform. Soap uses the XML data format due to its complexity. It is mostly used for complex systems with strict standards ensuring security and reliability.
- SOAP is a protocol as it has some strict rules for data format and communication.
- It manages the records and maintains the state between the requests.
- SOAP relies on SSL and WS-Security for secure communication.
- SOAP works with the XML data format to handle the complex data.
Difference between SOAP API and REST API
| **SOAP API | **REST API |
|---|---|
| Relies on SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) | Relies on REST (Representational State Transfer) architecture using HTTP. |
| Transports data in standard XML format. | Generally transports data in JSON. It is based on URI. Because REST follows a stateless model, REST does not enforce message format as XML or JSON etc. |
| Because it is XML based and relies on SOAP, it works with WSDL | It works with GET, POST, PUT, DELETE |
| Works over HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, XMPP | Works over HTTP and HTTPS |
| Highly structured/typed | Less structured -> less bulky data |
| Designed with large enterprise applications in mind | Designed with mobile devices in mind |