WSDL Port
<portType> element is the most important WSDL element.
WSDL Port
The <portType> element is the most important WSDL element.
It can describe a web service, the operations that can be performed, and the related messages.
The <portType> element can be compared to a function library (or a module, or a class) in traditional programming languages.
Operation Types
Request-response is the most common operation type, but WSDL defines four types:
| Type | Definition |
|---|---|
| One-way | This operation can accept a message but will not return a response. |
| Request-response | This operation can accept a request and will return a response. |
| Solicit-response | This operation can send a request and will wait for a response. |
| Notification | This operation can send a message but will not wait for a response. |
One-Way Operation
An example of a one-way operation:
Example
<message name="newTermValues">
<part name="term" type="xs:string"/>
<part name="value" type="xs:string"/>
</message>
<portType name="glossaryTerms">
<operation name="setTerm">
<input name="newTerm" message="newTermValues"/>
</operation>
</portType>
In this example, the port "glossaryTerms" defines a one-way operation named "setTerm".
The "setTerm" operation can accept input for new glossary term messages, which use a message named "newTermValues" with input parameters "term" and "value". However, no output is defined for this operation.
Request-Response Operation
An example of a request-response operation:
Example
<message name="getTermRequest">
<part name="term" type="xs:string"/>
</message>
<message name="getTermResponse">
<part name="value" type="xs:string"/>
</message>
<portType name="glossaryTerms">
<operation name="getTerm">
<input message="getTermRequest"/>
<output message="getTermResponse"/>
</operation>
</portType>
In this example, the port "glossaryTerms" defines a request-response operation named "getTerm".
The "getTerm" operation requests an input message named "getTermRequest", which has a parameter named "term", and returns an output message named "getTermResponse", which has a parameter named "value".