REST API vs SOAP

The old reliable of web APIs meets the protocol that made xml feel like a heavyweight champion, but now it's mostly just heavy. Here's our take.

REST API

Nice Pick

The old reliable of web APIs. Simple enough to get you started, but good luck with those nested resources.

Pros

• Easy to understand with standard HTTP methods
• Stateless design simplifies scaling
• Wide tooling and community support

Cons

• Over-fetching and under-fetching data is common
• Versioning can get messy fast

SOAP

The protocol that made XML feel like a heavyweight champion, but now it's mostly just heavy.

Pros

• Standardized and platform-agnostic, great for enterprise integration
• Built-in error handling and security features
• Works well with WSDL for clear service contracts

Cons

• Verbose XML bloat makes it slow and bandwidth-hungry
• Complex setup compared to modern REST or GraphQL alternatives

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. REST API is a apis while SOAP is a ai coding tools. We picked REST API based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

REST API wins

Based on overall popularity. REST API is more widely used, but SOAP excels in its own space.