All termsTransports
SOAP / Web Service
A structured, WSDL-defined XML web-service protocol used by many older enterprise and healthcare services (e.g. IHE XDS).
When to use it
When integrating with SOAP/WSDL endpoints, common in document-sharing and legacy enterprise systems.
In plain terms
A formal, contract-first web service versus REST's lighter style.
Common gotchas
- SOAP is verbose and contract-strict — the WSDL governs everything.
- WS-Security, MTOM attachments, and namespaces add complexity.
- It is often paired with IHE profiles that carry their own rules.