Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) has a reputation for being difficult to configure and over complex. Now it seems it is due for a "refactoring" around HTTP/REST rather than SOAP.

In a recent webinar “WCF, Evolving for the Web” Glenn Block a Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) Program Manager made some radical statements that puts at risk the future of SOAP as Microsoft's communications protocol.

SOAP was introduced as a complete solution to the problem of implementing remote services using different transport protocols but it has a reputation for being complex and difficult to use. As a result SOAP hasn't been the success that Microsoft always hoped it would be. Now perhaps some realism is entering the picture and WCF is moving more towards being HTTP/REST based.

Instead of retrofitting facilities to WCF it seems the plan is to refactor the entire framework to make it HTTP oriented. In subsequent comments Block denies that this is a shift away from SOAP and that the existing transport protocols will continue to be supported.

The new WCF Structure

At the moment the overall intention is unclear. However, from the tone and presentation of the webinar it seems that SOAP is no longer in favor and HTTP/REST is recognised as being a simpler leaner and altogether better.

More information is promised at PDC10.

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