What are the differences between SOAP and REST APIs in Magento?

What are the differences between SOAP and REST APIs in Magento?

Answer: SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) and REST (Representational State Transfer) APIs in Magento have several differences:

1. Protocol: SOAP is a protocol and relies on XML, while REST is an architectural style that can use multiple formats (JSON, XML, etc.).

2. Complexity: SOAP is more complex and requires strict standards for message format, while REST is simpler and more flexible.

3. Statefulness: SOAP can be stateful (maintaining session), whereas REST is stateless by design.

4. Caching: REST APIs support caching, improving performance, while SOAP does not inherently support this feature.

5. Use Cases: SOAP is better for enterprise-level applications that require high security and formal contracts (WSDL), while REST is favored for web and mobile applications needing rapid and simple data interactions.

Overall, REST is generally preferred for modern web services due to its simplicity and lightweight nature.

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