Supportsoft Glossary

Web Services: App Communication Online

Web Services are the standardized way for different applications to talk to each other over the internet using open protocols like XML, SOAP, and REST.

"Web Services" is a broad term for how machines talk over the World Wide Web. While it sounds like "API," all Web Services are APIs, but not all APIs are Web Services. A Web Service specifically needs a network. It’s the language that lets a stock app on your phone pull real-time prices from the NYSE server.

They usually come in two flavors: SOAP and REST. SOAP is the old, strict standard—like a registered letter. It’s secure and banks love it. REST is the modern, flexible one—like a text message. It’s lighter, faster, and used by most mobile apps. Without Web Services, the internet would be isolated islands. They allow the "mashup" of data that drives the web. Building reliable services requires strict standards. At Supportsoft, our Cloud Development Services team engineers robust, secure web services that act as the nervous system for your enterprise.