SOAP 1.1 Message Styles and Encoding Options

WSDL Tutorials - Herong's Tutorial Examples

∟WSDL 1.1 and SOAP 1.1 Examples - Document and RPC Styles

∟SOAP 1.1 Message Styles and Encoding Options

This section describes the SOAP message styles, document vs. rpc, and encoding options, literal vs. encoded. Message style is specified using style='rpc|document' attribute. Message encoding option is specified using use='literal|encoded' attribute.

If you use SOAP 1.1 to exchange messages between the client and the server, you need to decide what message style to use and whether the message is encoded or not.

There are 2 message styles are supported by SOAP 1.1:

document - A specifically structured XML document will be used as the content of the SOAP Body. This style allows any type of messages to be exchanged.
rpc - A simple XML element with sub elements as positioned parameters will be used as the content of the SOAP Body. This style allows input and output parameters to be exchanged for a RPC (Remote Procedure Call).

Here are rules on how to specify SOAP message style with WSDL 1.1 Binding Extension for SOAP 1.1:

<!-- Message style can be specified at the binding level -->
    <soap:binding style="rpc|document" .../>

<!-- Message style can be specified at the operating level -->
<!-- Operating level setting overrides the binding level -->
      <soap:operation style="rpc|document" .../>

<!-- Default is "document" -->

There are 2 message encoding options are supported by SOAP 1.1:

literal - Messages will be exchanged as is without any type information included.
encoded - Messages will be exchanged as typed (encoded) with type information included.

Here is rule on how to specify SOAP message encoding option with WSDL 1.1 Binding Extension for SOAP 1.1:

<!-- Encoding option must be specified for SOAP Body -->
        <soap:body use="literal|encoded" .../>

<!-- Encoding option must be specified for SOAP Fault -->
        <soap:fault use="literal|encoded" .../>

<!-- Encoding option must be specified for SOAP Header -->
        <soap:header use="literal|encoded" .../>

<!-- Encoding option must be specified for SOAP Header Fault -->
        <soap:headerfault use="literal|encoded" .../>