SOAP - disadvantages of SOAP

1. Complexity

  • SOAP messages are XML-based, which makes them verbose and harder to read compared to REST/JSON.

  • Parsing XML requires more processing power and bandwidth.

2. Slower Performance

  • Because of XML’s verbosity and the overhead of additional tags, SOAP messages are larger in size.

  • This increases latency and makes SOAP slower than REST in most cases.

3. Limited Browser Support

  • SOAP relies heavily on XML and specific protocols, so it’s not directly supported in web browsers.

  • REST/JSON is more browser-friendly.

4. Tight Standards Compliance

  • SOAP requires strict adherence to rules (envelopes, headers, namespaces).

  • Even a small formatting mistake in the XML can break communication.

5. Less Human-Friendly

  • SOAP messages are not as simple to understand as JSON in REST.

  • Developers often find REST APIs easier to use and integrate.

6. Higher Resource Usage

  • SOAP consumes more network bandwidth, CPU, and memory compared to lightweight alternatives like REST.

7. Less Popular for Public APIs

  • Most modern web APIs (Google, Twitter, Facebook, etc.) use REST, not SOAP, because REST is easier and faster.

  • SOAP is mostly used in enterprise and legacy systems (banking, telecom, government services).