Testable assertions in WSDL 1.2

In response to the W3C QA Guidelines, the Web Service Description
(a.k.a. WSDL) WG asked the editors to consider a means to indicate
testable assertions within our specifications. To enable a style sheet
to highlight assertions, whether within the text and/or pulled into a
separate table, we have been thinking about explicit markup similar to
the following:

 

<assert level="MUST | SHOULD | MAY">

English text of the assertion

</assert>

 

where MUST, SHOULD, and MAY are defined per RFC 2119. While MUST
assertions are clearly relevant to claims of conformance, the
optionality of SHOULD and MAY are less relevant. Nevertheless, they are
included at present for completeness.

 

We decided against explicit markup to indicate MUST NOT, SHOULD NOT, and
MAY NOT to avoid the possible conflict / confusion with negative wording
within the text of the assertion. 

 

We think this solution is the least intrusive, most cost-effective means
of complying with the QA guidelines. We are open to alternatives, but to
comply, we must provide some means of easily locating those places in
the document in which conformance requirements are stated.

 

--The editors