News Release: W3C Completes Work on Critical Web Services Standard, WSDL 2.0

Today, W3C completed work on a critical Web Services Standard, adding  
features that permit it to work in both HTTP applications and WS-*  
environments as well. Web Services Description Language (WSDL) 2.0 is  
the first standardized version of the WSDL technology. For more  
information, please contact Janet Daly, W3C Global Communications  
Officer, at +1 617 253 5884 <janet@w3.org> or the W3C Communications  
Team representative in your region.

W3C Completes Work on Critical Web Services Standard

WSDL 2.0 Builds on WS-I Basic Profile improvements; Expands with full  
HTTP and SOAP Support for Web Applications

Resources:

	This press release
		In English: http://www.w3.org/2007/06/wsdl20-pressrelease.html.en
		In French: http://www.w3.org/2007/06/wsdl20-pressrelease.html.fr
		In Japanese: http://www.w3.org/2007/06/wsdl20-pressrelease.html.ja

	WSDL Specifications

Web Services Description Language (WSDL) Version 2.0 Part 0: Primer
	http://www.w3.org/TR/2007/REC-wsdl20-primer-20070626/

Web Services Description Language (WSDL) Version 2.0 Part 1: Core  
Language
	http://www.w3.org/TR/2007/REC-wsdl20-20070626/

Web Services Description Language (WSDL) Version 2.0 Part 2: Adjuncts
	http://www.w3.org/TR/2007/REC-wsdl20-adjuncts-20070626/

Web Services Description Language (WSDL) Version 2.0 SOAP 1.1 Binding
	http://www.w3.org/TR/2007/NOTE-wsdl20-soap11-binding-20070626/

Web Services Description Language (WSDL) Version 2.0: Additional MEPs
	http://www.w3.org/TR/2007/NOTE-wsdl20-additional-meps-20070626/

Web Services Description Language (WSDL) Version 2.0: RDF Mapping
	http://www.w3.org/TR/2007/NOTE-wsdl20-rdf-20070626/


	WSDL Converter, which takes WS-I Basic Profile conformant WSDL docs  
and converts them to WSDL 2.0
		http://www.w3.org/2006/02/WSDLConvert.html

	Testimonials from IBM, WSO2, and WS-I
		http://www.w3.org/2007/06/wsdl20-testimonial



http://www.w3.org/ -- 27 June 2007 -- Today, W3C has finalized a Web  
services description language with full support of the primary  
protocol for the Web, HTTP, and the most frequently implemented Web  
services protocol, SOAP. Web Services Description Language (WSDL) 2.0  
incorporates both the improvements for WSDL 1.1 found in the WS-I  
Basic Profile, and builds in inheritance, import functions, improved  
description of faults and errors, and full HTTP and SOAP support.  
Rigorous testing and interop sessions, including week-long  
programming marathons by the Web Services Description Working Group  
itself, have produced a solid interoperable standard that delivers on  
the goals of the initial WSDL 1.1 version, and also meets the needs  
of Web applications developers today.

"It's been a long time in development, but developers can see it's  
been worth the wait," explained Jonathan Marsh, co-chair of the W3C  
Web Services Description Working Group and Director of Mashup  
Technologies at WSO2. "In addition to the rigorous interoperability  
testing, we're pleased to have given developers the HTTP binding,  
which provides simple Web-friendly access to a service when the  
advanced features available in the SOAP stack, such as WS-Addressing,  
WS-Security, and WS-ReliableMessaging, aren't required."

WSDL 2.0 Development Began with Stringent Interoperability  
Requirements, Finished with Conversion Tools and Support in Emerging  
Web Standards

Wide interest in SOAP 1.1 and WSDL 1.1 marked the beginning of Web  
Services pursuits. The hope of interoperability in the initial, non- 
standardized versions was not immediately fulfilled in spite of the  
large number of developers who moved to that model for applications  
development. WS-I, for example, formed to create profiles based on  
non-standard versions of the popular Web Services technologies.

Against this backdrop, the W3C Membership urged the Consortium to  
develop an interoperable WSDL standard. Through significant issue  
tracking by the Working Group itself, and through cooperative work  
with the WS-I Basic Profile Working Group, it was possible to  
identify initial improvements and build from there for both SOAP 1.2  
and WSDL 2.0.

Those who have built implementations that conform to the WS-I Basic  
Profile may use a converter to WSDL 2.0, thus easing the transition  
to the new standard and enabling use of new features.

Further, WSDL 2.0 support is built into critical emerging Web  
services standards, including Semantic Annotations for WSDL (SAWSDL)  
and WS-Policy 1.5, both anticipated in September 2007.

WSDL 2.0 Lets Developers Choose WS Application Development Models;  
HTTP or SOAP

With the increased popularity of REST-model as well as SOAP over  
HTTP, the Working Group recognized the clear need for complete HTTP  
support in Web application descriptions. As a result, WSDL 2.0 has  
complete HTTP and SOAP support, making it useful for both simple Web  
applications and Web Services applications that require additional  
functionality.

WSDL 2.0 Created and Implemented by Industry Leaders; Wide Deployment  
Anticipated

The Web Services Description Working Group has enjoyed the  
participation of many industry leaders in the area of applications  
development and is co-chaired by Marsh and Tony Rogers of CA. Current  
participants in the WSD Working Group are, in alphabetical order,  
Adobe Systems Inc.; Agfa-Gevaert N. V.; BEA Systems, Inc.; BT; CA;  
Canon, Inc.; IBM; University of Innsbruck; IONA Technologies, Inc.;  
Maryland Information and Network Dynamics Lab at the University of  
Maryland; Microsoft Corporation; Oracle Corporation; Rogue Wave  
Software; SAP AG; Sonic Software; Sun Microsystems, Inc.; TIBCO  
Software, Inc.; WSO2; and Xerox Corporation.

Many companies have stated that they expect to support WSDL 2.0 in  
upcoming product releases, including Adobe Systems Inc.; CA; IBM; Sun  
Microsystems, Inc; webMethods; and WSO2. Details on support and  
implementation plans are provided in the testimonial sheet.

Testimonials for WSDL 2.0 from IBM, WSO2, and WS-I

      IBM congratulates the W3C Web Services Description Working  
Group on achieving Recommendation status for WSDL 2.0. We look  
forward to working with other members of the Web services community  
to help it affect a smooth, nondisruptive, transition from WSDL 1.1  
to WSDL 2.0. We believe WSDL 2.0 enables better integration and  
synergy between WS-* and REST, which is something that IBM believes  
is important for the industry.

     Our product support for WSDL 2.0 begins with the IBM CICS  
Transaction Server for z/OS V3.2, generally available on 29th June  
2007. The CICS Web Services Assistant has been enhanced to support  
both WSDL 1.1 and 2.0 to ensure that CICS will interoperate with  
modern tools, infrastructure and service components in the SOA  
environment.
     -- Karla Norsworthy, Vice President, Software Standards, IBM

     WSO2 is very pleased to see the WSDL 2.0 family of  
specifications become W3C Recommendations. These specs represent the  
distillation of years of accumulated industry experience with WSDL  
1.1-based interoperability. As acontributor to the open source Apache  
Axis2 project, WSO2 has helped build comprehensive WSDL 2.0 support  
into the latest versions of Axis2. Axis2 and its new WSDL 2.0 support  
is incorporated into the WSO2 Web Services Application Server, a free  
and open source platform for creating, consuming, and managing Web  
Services.
     -- Sanjiva Weerawarana, CEO, WSO2

     WS-I congratulates the W3C Web Services Description Working  
Group on WSDL 2.0 becoming a Recommendation. Many WS-I members have  
worked closely with the W3C Working Group, providing feedback on how  
to improve on the original WSDL 1.1 submission. WSDL 1.1 is part of  
the WS-I Basic Profile 1.1, based on WSDL 1.1, SOAP 1.1 and UDDI 2.0,  
which provides interoperability guidance to developers who are  
generating Web services to be deployed into a heterogeneous environment.
     -- Michael Bechauf, President and Chairman of the Board, WS-I


Contact Americas, Australia --
     Janet Daly, <janet@w3.org>, +1.617.253.5884 or +1.617.253.2613
Contact Europe, Africa and the Middle East--
     Marie-Claire Forgue, <mcf@w3.org>, +33.492.38.75.94
Contact Asia --
     Yasuyuki Hirakawa <chibao@w3.org>, +81.466.49.1170

About the World Wide Web Consortium [W3C]

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is an international consortium  
where Member organizations, a full-time staff, and the public work  
together to develop Web standards. W3C primarily pursues its mission  
through the creation of Web standards and guidelines designed to  
ensure long-term growth for the Web. Over 400 organizations are  
Members of the Consortium. W3C is jointly run by the MIT Computer  
Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (MIT CSAIL) in the  
USA, the European Research Consortium for Informatics and Mathematics  
(ERCIM) headquartered in France and Keio University in Japan,and has  
additional Offices worldwide. For more information see http:// 
www.w3.org/
Press Release | Testimonials | W3C Press Release Archive

Received on Wednesday, 27 June 2007 13:59:41 UTC