How does REST differ from SOAP?

REST and SOAP are two different approaches to organizing interaction between client and server in web services.

• REST (Representational State Transfer) is an architectural style that uses standard HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE). It relies on resources identified by URLs and typically transfers data in JSON or XML format. REST is simpler, lighter, and more flexible.

• SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) is a protocol based on XML, with stricter standards and extended capabilities such as built-in security, transactions, and reliable message delivery. SOAP requires the use of WSDL to describe the service.

Example: a REST request to get a user — GET /users/123, and a SOAP request — an XML message with a specific structure sent via HTTP or other protocols.

In the end, REST is simpler and more often used for web applications, while SOAP is used in enterprise systems with high security and reliability requirements.