Editing SOAP (section)

== SOAP terminology ==
SOAP specification can be broadly defined to be consisting of the following three conceptual components: protocol concepts, encapsulation concepts and network concepts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.w3.org/TR/soap12-part1/#terminology|title=SOAP Version 1.2 Part 1: Messaging Framework (Second Edition)|website=www.w3.org|access-date=2016-09-14|archive-date=2016-09-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160920152253/http://www.w3.org/TR/soap12-part1/#terminology|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Protocol concepts ===
; SOAP: This is a set of rules formalizing and governing the format and processing rules for information exchanged between a SOAP sender and a SOAP receiver.
; SOAP nodes: These are physical/logical machines with processing units which are used to transmit/forward, receive and process SOAP messages. These are analogous to [[Node (networking)|nodes]] in a network.
; SOAP roles: Over the path of a SOAP message, all nodes assume a specific role. The role of the node defines the action that the node performs on the message it receives. For example, a role "''none"'' means that no node will process the SOAP header in any way and simply transmit the message along its path.
; SOAP protocol binding : A SOAP message needs to work in conjunction with other protocols to be transferred over a network. For example, a SOAP message could use [[Transmission Control Protocol|TCP]] as a lower layer protocol to transfer messages. These bindings are defined in the SOAP protocol binding framework.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.w3.org/2000/xp/Group/1/10/12/Binding_Framework_Proposal|title=Binding Framework Proposal|website=www.w3.org|access-date=2016-09-14|archive-date=2017-07-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170711204301/http://www.w3.org/2000/xp/Group/1/10/12/Binding_Framework_Proposal|url-status=live}}</ref>
; SOAP features: SOAP provides a messaging framework only. However, it can be extended to add features such as reliability, security etc. There are rules to be followed when adding features to the SOAP framework.
; SOAP module : A collection of specifications regarding the semantics of SOAP header to describe any new features being extended upon SOAP. A module needs to realize zero or more features. SOAP requires modules to adhere to prescribed rules.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.w3.org/TR/soap12-part1/#soapmodules|title=SOAP Version 1.2 Part 1: Messaging Framework (Second Edition)|website=www.w3.org|access-date=2016-09-14|archive-date=2016-09-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160920152253/http://www.w3.org/TR/soap12-part1/#soapmodules|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Data encapsulation concepts ===
; SOAP message: Represents the information being exchanged between 2 SOAP nodes.
; SOAP envelope : It is the enclosing element of an XML message identifying it as a SOAP message.
; SOAP header block: A SOAP header can contain more than one of these blocks, each being a discrete computational block within the header. In general, the SOAP ''role'' information is used to target nodes on the path. A header block is said to be targeted at a SOAP node if the SOAP role for the header block is the name of a role in which the SOAP node operates. (ex: A SOAP header block with role attribute as ''ultimateReceiver'' is targeted only at the destination node which has this role. A header with a role attribute as ''next'' is targeted at each intermediary as well as the destination node.)
; SOAP header : A collection of one or more header blocks targeted at each SOAP receiver.
; SOAP body : Contains the body of the message intended for the SOAP receiver. The interpretation and processing of SOAP body is defined by header blocks.
; SOAP fault: In case a SOAP node fails to process a SOAP message, it adds the fault information to the SOAP fault element. This element is contained within the SOAP body as a child element.

=== Message sender and receiver concepts ===
; SOAP sender: The node that transmits a SOAP message.
; SOAP receiver: The node receiving a SOAP message. (Could be an intermediary or the destination node).
; SOAP message path: The path consisting of all the nodes that the SOAP message traversed to reach the destination node.
; Initial SOAP sender: This is the node which originated the SOAP message to be transmitted. This is the root of the SOAP message path.
; SOAP intermediary: All the nodes in between the SOAP originator and the intended SOAP destination. It processes the SOAP header blocks targeted at it and acts to forward a SOAP message towards an ultimate SOAP receiver.
; Ultimate SOAP receiver: The destination receiver of the SOAP message. This node is responsible for processing the message body and any header blocks targeted at it.