SOAP
/soʊp/
noun — “the heavyweight XML protocol built for systems that absolutely insist on formal introductions.”
SOAP stands for Simple Object Access Protocol. It is a structured messaging protocol used for exchanging information between systems over a network, most commonly through HTTP or HTTPS, though it can also operate over protocols such as SMTP and TCP. SOAP was designed for environments where interoperability, reliability, strict standards, and security matter more than simplicity or lightweight communication.