In this lecture we objectify the WS-* vs. REST debate by giving a quantitative technical comparison based on architectural principles and decisions.
We show that the two approaches differ in the number of architectural decisions that must be made and in the number of available alternatives.
This discrepancy between freedom-from choice and freedom-of-choice explains the complexity difference perceived.
However, we also show that there are significant differences in the consequences of certain decisions in terms of resulting development and maintenance costs.
Our comparison helps technical decision makers to assess the two integration styles and technologies more objectively and select the one that best fits their needs: REST is well suited for basic, ad hoc integration scenarios, WS-* is more flexible and addresses advanced quality of service.
The comparison is based on the paper by C. Pautasso, O. Zimmermann, F. Leymann. "RESTful Web Services vs. “Big” Web Services: Making the Right Architectural Decision." WWW 2008
A summary video on the specific characteristics of REST versus SOAP Web Services by Prof. Florian Daniel
Here you can download the slides of the lesson: Rest vs. SOAP Web Services
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