Webservices in Cloud Computing and Beyond

Webservices are not just a buzzword, they're a fundamental building block of modern software development.

Web services allow applications to communicate with each other over the internet, using standardized protocols like SOAP and REST.

This enables seamless integration and data exchange between different systems, making it a game-changer for businesses and developers alike.

In cloud computing, webservices play a crucial role in enabling scalability, flexibility, and on-demand resource allocation.

They allow applications to tap into cloud-based resources and services, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure, to name a few.

This has revolutionized the way we build and deploy applications, making it faster, cheaper, and more efficient.

By leveraging webservices, developers can create complex systems that are modular, reusable, and easily maintainable.

This approach has far-reaching implications beyond cloud computing, enabling the creation of decentralized systems, IoT applications, and more.

Additional reading: Cloud Foundry Services

A service is a software system with open protocols that has a unique URL address and maintains communication between two applications via the internet.

This type of communication model is known as a standard client-server model.

In this model, there are two main components: a client (a service consumer) and a server (a service provider).

For instance, when you ask Siri or Alexa the weather forecast, you're interacting with a service that acts as a mediator between your device and a server that returns the required data.

Companies use services for common tasks, such as integrating payments to their platforms or registering users on a new website via Facebook or Google credentials.

Services can connect all types of applications across the web, regardless of the programming language they're written in.

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Web services are built on top of XML, which allows for platform and system independence. This means that web services can be accessed from any device, regardless of the operating system or network.

One of the key features of web services is that they are loosely coupled, meaning that a client of a web service provider isn't directly linked to that service provider. This makes it easier to integrate different systems and allows for greater flexibility.

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Web services can be either synchronous or asynchronous. Synchronous operations block the client until the service is completed, while asynchronous operations allow the client to continue with other tasks while waiting for the service to finish.

Coarse-grained services are another key feature of web services. This means that web services expose a single interface that provides a high-level view of the underlying functionality, rather than a fine-grained interface that requires multiple calls to access different parts of the service.

Web services also support remote procedural calls, allowing clients to invoke procedures and functions on remote objects using an XML-based protocol. This enables enterprise-wide component development and makes it easier to integrate different systems.

Web services facilitate the exchange of documents, using XML to communicate complex data and entities. This makes it easier to integrate different systems and exchange data between them.

Web services are designed to be platform-independent, using standardized protocols such as SOAP and XML to communicate. This allows web services to be accessed from any device, regardless of the operating system or network.

Web services can be reused across multiple client applications, making them a valuable asset for organizations. By exposing business functionality as web services, organizations can provide a single interface to multiple applications and reduce the complexity of their systems.

For your interest: Xml and Web Services

Web services are built to be easily discoverable, using standardized protocols and metadata to describe the services and their interfaces. This makes it easier for clients to find and use web services, and reduces the complexity of integrating different systems.

Web services can be used to expose business functionality over the internet, making it accessible to multiple applications and users. This enables organizations to provide a single interface to multiple applications and reduce the complexity of their systems.

Web services have numerous advantages that make them a popular choice for businesses and developers alike. One of the key benefits is that business functions can be exposed over the internet, making them accessible to anyone with an internet connection.

Web services allow diverse apps to communicate with one another and exchange information and services, promoting interoperability.

Web services can be communicated with at a low cost, as they employ the SOAP over HTTP protocol, which can be implemented using an existing internet connection.

Web services communicate via a defined industry protocol, making it easy for different systems to understand and interact with each other.

A single web service can be used simultaneously by several client applications, making it highly reusable.

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Webservices are all around us, making our lives easier in many ways. They're used for tasks like making online payments and logging in via social media platforms.

Travel booking websites and online travel agencies rely on web services to distribute travel products, providing customers with a variety of options to choose from. They use travel and booking web services to get access to a wide travel inventory, acting as a bridge between booking apps and other resources.

For example, Amadeus offers travel data and online ticket reservations through its set of web services, allowing distributors to fetch travel data from hundreds of travel providers. This enables travelers to book services directly.

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We use web services in our daily lives without even realizing it. They speed up tasks like making online payments and booking flight tickets.

Travel booking websites and online travel agencies rely on web services to distribute travel products. They use APIs offered by aggregators like Global Distribution Systems to access a wide travel inventory.

Web services act as a bridge between booking apps and resources like flight and hotel suppliers. They provide distributors with information about existing prices and help manage rates.

Amadeus is a large traveltech company that offers travel data and online ticket reservations. Its set of web services fetches travel data from hundreds of travel providers.

We can book travel services directly through travel booking websites and online travel agencies. They take care of communicating with the suppliers for us, making the process much faster and more convenient.

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Maps are a crucial part of many applications, allowing users to navigate and find locations with ease.

Google Maps is a prime example of a map service that provides a wide range of APIs for maps, routes, and places.

The Google Maps API offers location, navigation routes, and landmark data, which is invaluable for businesses looking to integrate map data into their applications.

This data is used by global businesses to provide services to their customers, suppliers, and delivery companies.

Ridesharing applications like Uber and BlaBlaCar also heavily rely on Google Maps data to operate.

Social plugins are a convenient way to log-in to apps and websites using existing social media account credentials. This can save time and effort compared to entering personal information manually.

Logging in via social plugins is a simple process. A web service verifies if the user is already logged in via a social platform each time they launch the app.

The Facebook Login API is a popular example of a social plugin, available on multiple platforms including iOS, Android, web, desktop applications, and even Smart TVs or the IoT.

Payment gateways serve as an intermediary between customers, businesses, and payment processors that handle transactions.

They verify whether the user’s card details are secure and if the needed amount of money is available before processing a transaction.

To connect a retailer platform with a payment processor, a web service is used, ensuring a secure payment for online retailers or web applications.

PayPal actively uses web services to help its clients securely conduct mobile and online payments, supporting gateway integration.

PayPal's REST API serves for transaction workflows like payments, orders, invoicing, subscriptions etc., using the HTTPS channel and JSON responses.

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There are three common types of web service architectures: RPC, REST, and GraphQL. REST is the most popular architectural style to build web services, with principles developed in 2000.

REST focuses on standard HTTP/HTTPS methods for all types of operations, including GET, POST, PATCH, PUT, UPDATE, and DELETE. These methods are applied to resources, which are objects that a client can access with a request.

The REST approach achieves standardization by having only HTTP methods to access and operate resources, allowing engineers to apply universal techniques of web communication for any web service they integrate with. This makes it easier for developers to work with web services.

Here's a brief overview of the HTTP methods used in REST:

SOAP is another web service architecture, but it's considered a legacy approach.

RPC, or Remote Procedure Call, is a type of web service architecture that's been around for a while. It's a straightforward approach where a client sends a command to a remote server, which then performs the requested operation and sends the result back to the client.

RPC uses XML, JSON, or Protobuf formats and is commonly used in command and action-oriented APIs, remote error logging, monitoring program control, and client/server apps on Windows OS. It's the earliest and most basic form of web service types.

The sequence of events in RPC is simple: a client sends a command, the server performs the operation, and then sends the result back to the client. For example, if a client needs to call a cab, it would send a command "/CallCab" to the server, which would then activate the call cab function.

RPC is outdated and rarely used today, as it lacks unity across different services and has a unique implementation, set of functions, and conventions for each web service. However, there's a Google-backed spin on RPC called gRPC that you can learn more about.

RPC typically uses only GET and POST HTTP methods to call specific functions on the server, with GET used for receiving data and POST for all other operations. Here are some key characteristics of RPC:

Representational State Transfer (REST) is a widely used architectural style for building web services. It's the most popular approach today, and for good reason.

REST focuses on standard HTTP/HTTPS methods for all types of operations, which makes it easier for developers to integrate with different web services. The standard methods used in REST are GET, POST, PATCH, PUT, UPDATE, and DELETE.

These methods are applied to resources, which are objects that a client can access with a request. For example, if a web service provides information on restaurants, a resource would be a list of restaurants in a particular city. Each resource has its own URL that a client can access.

The REST approach achieves standardization, which is essential in the connected world. Engineers don't have to spend time learning different methods and conventions each API suggests; instead, they can apply universal techniques of web communication.

Here are the standard HTTP methods used in REST:

This standardization makes it easier for developers to work with different web services, which is why REST is considered the gold standard for public APIs and web services.

Web services rely on several key components to function effectively. One of the most fundamental platforms is XML and HTTP, which are used by all typical web services.

SOAP is a transport-independent messaging protocol that is built on sending XML data in the form of SOAP messages. These messages are structured in a specific way, with a required root element called the "envelope" that is divided into two halves: the header and the body.

The header contains routing data that directs the XML document to the intended client, while the body holds the real message. This structure is essential for effective communication between the client and server.

UDDI is a standard for specifying, publishing, and discovering a service provider's online services. It provides a repository where WSDL files can be hosted, allowing client applications to discover and access web services.

WSDL, or Web Services Description Language, is used to describe the location and functionality of a web service. This XML-based file is essential for client applications to understand what a web service does and how to use it.

Here are the critical components of web services: