5.3.1. The most important thing is to work together. ¶

Because all major platforms can access Web through Web browsers, different platforms can interact with each other. To make these platforms work together, Web applications have been developed.

Web applications are simple applications that run on Web. They are built around the Web browser standard and can be used by almost any browser on anyplatform.

5.3.2. Web services takes Web applications to another level. ¶

By using Web services, your application can publish features or messages to the world.

Web services uses XML to encode and decode data and uses SOAP to transmit data through open protocols.

Through Web services, your accounting department’s Win 2k server can connectto the IT vendor’s UNIX server.

5.3.3. There are two types of applications for Web services ¶

5.3.4. Reusable application components ¶

There are some features that are often used by different applications. So why develop them over and over again?

Web services can provide application components as services, such as exchange rate conversion, weather forecasts, or even language translation.

Ideally, there is only one best version of each application component, so that anyone can use it in their application.

5.3.5. Connect existing softwar ¶

Web services helps solve the problem of working together by providing a way for different applications to link their data.

By using Web services, you can exchange data between different applications and platforms.