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Web Services Description Language (WSDL)

The W3C describes WSDL in the W3C Note 15 March 2001 as "WSDL is an XML format for describing network services as a set of endpoints operating on messages containing either document-oriented or procedure-oriented information. The operations and messages are described abstractly, and then bound to a concrete network protocol and message format to define an endpoint. Related concrete endpoints are combined into abstract endpoints (services). WSDL is extensible to allow description of endpoints and their messages regardless of what message formats or network protocols are used to communicate, however, the only bindings described in this document describe how to use WSDL in conjunction with SOAP 1.1, HTTP GET/POST, and MIME." In other words, the WSDL defines a URL endpoint that publishes objects and methods usable against the publishing application. These objects and methods can then be used to communicate to that application.