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wcfrestwsdl

Writing a RESTful service using WCF for public usage. Is providing WSDL really necessary?

As the question suggests, is providing the WSDL really necessary, or is it more of a "nice to have" feature? I have written a RESTful service, using .Net 4.0. I see now that WSDL isn't automatically generated by adding ?wsdl... and I can't get it to either after trying various suggestions :-/

I have written several ASMX services in the past - all well and good as the WSDL is accessible automatically. I want to move away from SOAP. I would prefer to provide potential users with a Class (C#, Java versions etc..) and sample code. Is that an equally viable option? Or am I being lazy in suggesting all that?

Thanks for your opinions.

Solution 
  • WSDL = SOAP;

REST != WSDL;

    For a REST Service, WSDL is not a nice-to-have it is a cannot-have.

    If you are exposing a RESTful service then WSDL does not mean anything - WSDL means you have a SOAP web service.

    You can expose a SOAP web service in addition to your REST service but the WSDL would be for that service.