The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) released the proposed recommendation for the SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) 1.2 specification Wednesday, saying that the protocol is cleaned up and in a strong position for final review.
The group called the latest version of the Extensible Markup Language (XML) protocol for exchanging structured information in a decentralized environment, such as the Web, “lightweight” and flexible.
“We have reached a very stable state and we hope the specification will be implemented,” said Carine Bournez, a member of the W3C XML Protocol Working Group.
Over 400 issues have been resolved, including 150 from SOAP 1.1, according to the group, and the protocol has now been sent on to the W3C membership for final review, which closes June 7.
SOAP 1.2 consists of the SOAP 1.2 Messaging Framework, SOAP 1.2 Adjuncts, and a Primer. The Messaging Framework provides a message construct, a processing model and an extensibility framework, whereas the Adjuncts defines a set of adjuncts such as rules for encoding SOAP messages.
Additionally, the cleaned up protocol integrates core XML technologies, the group said, and works with W3C XML schemas.
Bournez said that the messaging part of the protocol is the most important, adding that the SOAP developers committee gave a lot of feedback on the issue, with a focus placed on interoperability.
The protocol has gone through several working drafts and reviews, and the W3C now believes that it is ready for widespread adoption.
A spokesperson for the group in France added that SOAP 1.2 is “in good standing,” and that it has already been implemented for 7 projects.
The over 400 organizations that are members of the consortium now have a month to give their final stamp of approval.
