WSDL specs closer to being standards

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) yesterday released the first public working drafts of the Web Services Description Language (WSDL) version 1.2.

The release of the drafts bring WSDL specs one step closer to being standards, while upcoming plans include mapping to Semantic Web Foundations, which will change the face of the internet.

WSDL 1.2 is an XML-based language that describes a web service: the data exchanged, the protocol to use, and its location on the web.

The new drafts describe how to use WSDL with other web protocols including Simple Object Access Protocol (Soap), Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions.

According to the W3C, developers and IT managers first learned about WSDL as a specification created by individual companies.

After the release of version 1.1, developers pursued the development of a web services description language based on 1.1, but which would be subject to the W3C process and technical requirements.

The result is WSDL 1.2, which includes language clarifications making it easier for developers to understand and use, and supports W3C recommendations, including XML.

It is also a conceptual framework approach to defining the description components, and a better definition for HTTP 1.1 and Soap 1.2 binding, which allows description of services using the most current version of Soap.