Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) is an architectural style in software engineering that focuses on designing and developing software in the form of interoperable services. These services are discrete units of functionality that can be accessed remotely and independently, often over a network, using standard communication protocols. Here are the key aspects of SOA:
Service Definition: A service in SOA is a self-contained unit that performs a specific business function, such as retrieving customer data or processing a payment. Each service is defined by a service contract, which specifies the service's functionality, input and output parameters, and other operational details[2][5].
Loose Coupling: Services in SOA are designed to be loosely coupled, meaning they have minimal dependencies on each other. This allows services to be modified or replaced without affecting other services or the overall system[4][7][10].
Reusability: One of the primary goals of SOA is to create reusable services. By designing services that can be used across different applications and business processes, SOA helps reduce redundancy and improve efficiency[3][6][13].
Interoperability: SOA promotes interoperability between services, which can be implemented using different technologies and platforms. This is achieved through the use of standard communication protocols such as SOAP, REST, and others[5][8][12].
Service Composition: Services can be composed to form more complex business processes. This composition can be done through orchestration, where a central coordinator manages the interactions between services, or choreography, where services interact in a decentralized manner[3][9][11].
Scalability and Maintenance: SOA allows for better scalability and easier maintenance. Since services are independent, they can be scaled individual...
