Web Service Description Language

A Web Service Description Language (WSDL) file provides an XML-based map of what functionality the published web service allows, separating the implementation in the service from the interface. The WSDL defines the following:

• The access location of the web service
• Operations the web service exposes
• Parameters the exposed operations accept
• Any request or response messages associated with the operations

The WSDL provides the information necessary to generate a client-side proxy in the target programming language.

In accordance with the WSDL specification adopted by the World Wide Web Consortium, information in the WSDL is organized into the following sections:

• Types. Content definitions for web service operation input and output. See the topic Types for more information.
• Messages. Input and output definitions for the web service operations. See the topic Messages for more information.
• PortTypes. Groups of operations offered by the web service. See the topic Port types for more information.
• Bindings. Protocols and formats for the web service operations. See the topic Bindings for more information.
• Services. Endpoints at which the web service functionality can be accessed. See the topic Services for more information.