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Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)

Information Technology > Application server software

Description

SOAP, or Simple Object Access Protocol, is a messaging protocol that allows programs running on different operating systems to communicate with each other. It uses XML for its message format, which can be exchanged over a variety of protocols such as HTTP, SMTP, and FTP. SOAP can handle complex messages and includes features for error handling, security, and routing. As you gain proficiency in SOAP, you'll learn to create more complex messages, implement security measures, optimize performance, and even design and implement intricate SOAP-based systems. Understanding SOAP is crucial for anyone working with web services and distributed systems.

Expected Behaviors

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LEVEL 1

Fundamental Awareness

At this level, individuals have a basic understanding of SOAP protocol and XML. They are familiar with the concept of web services but may not yet be able to create or manipulate SOAP messages. Their knowledge is mostly theoretical, gained from reading or introductory courses.

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LEVEL 2

Novice

Novices can create simple SOAP messages and understand the structure of a SOAP envelope. They know about SOAP namespaces and can use SOAP in conjunction with HTTP. However, their practical experience is limited and they may need guidance when dealing with more complex tasks.

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LEVEL 3

Intermediate

Intermediate users can create complex SOAP messages and understand SOAP encoding rules. They can handle SOAP faults and are familiar with SOAP headers and roles. They also understand how to work with SOAP attachments. At this level, they can solve common problems independently.

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LEVEL 4

Advanced

Advanced users can implement SOAP security measures and understand SOAP intermediaries and routing. They can use SOAP with different protocols like SMTP and FTP, and are aware of SOAP optimizations. They also understand WS-* standards related to SOAP. They can handle most tasks without assistance and can start to guide others.

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LEVEL 5

Expert

Experts can design and implement complex SOAP-based systems. They have a deep understanding of SOAP performance tuning and are proficient in troubleshooting and debugging SOAP applications. They are knowledgeable about advanced SOAP security measures. Experts can teach and mentor others in SOAP, contributing to the growth of the team.

Micro Skills

✎
LEVEL 1

Fundamental Awareness

Understanding of SOAP as a messaging protocol
Knowledge of SOAP's role in web services
Awareness of SOAP's extensibility and neutrality
Understanding of how SOAP enables communication between applications
Awareness of SOAP's role in exchanging structured information
Knowledge of how SOAP can be used for remote procedure calls
Awareness of the key differences in design philosophy
Understanding of when to use SOAP vs REST
Knowledge of the different use cases for SOAP and REST
Understanding of XML tags and elements
Knowledge of XML attributes and their usage
Ability to interpret XML namespaces
Knowledge of how to define and use XML elements
Understanding of how to define and use XML attributes
Awareness of the rules for XML element and attribute names
Understanding of why namespaces are used in XML
Knowledge of how to declare an XML namespace
Ability to use a namespace to qualify element and attribute names
Knowledge of the basic definition of a web service
Understanding of how web services allow for machine-to-machine interaction
Awareness of the role of web services in distributed computing
Understanding of the request-response pattern in web services
Awareness of the protocols used by web services (HTTP, SMTP, etc.)
Knowledge of how data is formatted for transmission in a web service (XML, JSON)
Understanding of the key characteristics of SOAP web services
Knowledge of the main features of RESTful web services
Awareness of other types of web services (XML-RPC, JSON-RPC)
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LEVEL 2

Novice

Understanding of SOAP message structure
Knowledge of XML syntax
Ability to use SOAP libraries in programming languages
Knowledge of SOAP envelope elements
Understanding of the purpose of each element in the SOAP envelope
Ability to correctly format a SOAP envelope
Understanding of XML namespaces
Knowledge of the purpose and usage of SOAP namespaces
Ability to correctly declare and use SOAP namespaces in a message
Understanding of HTTP protocol
Knowledge of how SOAP messages are transported over HTTP
Ability to send and receive SOAP messages using HTTP
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LEVEL 3

Intermediate

Understanding of complex data types in SOAP
Knowledge of array and struct types in SOAP
Ability to use namespaces in SOAP messages
Knowledge of SOAP Data Model
Understanding of SOAP Encoding Styles
Familiarity with SOAP serialization rules
Understanding of SOAP fault structure
Ability to generate and handle SOAP faults
Knowledge of different SOAP fault codes
Understanding of SOAP header blocks
Knowledge of actor/role attribute in SOAP
Ability to use mustUnderstand attribute in SOAP
Knowledge of SOAP with Attachments API for Java (SAAJ)
Understanding of Message Transmission Optimization Mechanism (MTOM)
Ability to send binary data as SOAP attachments
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LEVEL 4

Advanced

Understanding of WS-Security
Knowledge of encryption and decryption techniques
Ability to implement authentication and authorization
Understanding of secure token services
Knowledge of SOAP actor attribute
Understanding of SOAP node roles
Ability to implement message path modifications
Understanding of SOAP relay attribute
Understanding of SOAP over SMTP
Knowledge of SOAP over FTP
Ability to configure transport protocols for SOAP
Understanding of protocol-specific considerations for SOAP
Understanding of SOAP compression techniques
Knowledge of MTOM and XOP
Ability to optimize SOAP message processing
Understanding of SOAP message transmission optimizations
Knowledge of WS-Addressing
Understanding of WS-ReliableMessaging
Familiarity with WS-Policy
Understanding of WS-Coordination and WS-Transaction
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LEVEL 5

Expert

Understanding of system architecture principles
Knowledge of software design patterns
Experience with large-scale system implementation
Ability to integrate SOAP services with other systems
Knowledge of performance testing tools
Understanding of network latency and bandwidth considerations
Ability to optimize XML parsing and serialization
Experience with load balancing strategies
Proficiency with debugging tools
Ability to interpret SOAP logs
Understanding of common SOAP errors and their solutions
Experience with stress testing and fault injection techniques
Understanding of encryption and decryption techniques
Knowledge of authentication and authorization protocols
Experience with secure coding practices
Understanding of potential security threats and countermeasures
Strong communication skills
Experience with training and mentoring
Ability to create clear and concise documentation
Understanding of different learning styles and teaching methods

Skill Overview

  • Expert3 years experience
  • Micro-skills94
  • Roles requiring skill0

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