HTTP v.s. SOAP

HTTP 可以提供各種服務 - HTML, images, sound, video, etc.
SOAP 是在 HTTP 上面, 專門提供 XML 傳送的服務.

SOAP 的request 如下，HTTP headers在上面, SOAP message 在下面:

---------  HTTP portion of the message ------
POST /InStock HTTP/1.1
Host: www.example.org
Content-Type: application/soap+xml; charset=utf-8
Content-Length: nnn

---------  SOAP portion of the message ------
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<soap:Envelope
xmlns:soap="http://www.w3.org/2001/12/soap-envelope"
soap:encodingStyle="http://www.w3.org/2001/12/soap-encoding">

<soap:Body xmlns:m="http://www.example.org/stock">
  <m:GetStockPrice>
    <m:StockName>IBM</m:StockName>
  </m:GetStockPrice>
</soap:Body>

</soap:Envelope>

reference:
Difference between SOAP and HTTP protocol <Link>