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First of all let us not compare apples to oranges.

SOAP is a protocol where as REST is an approach. So we can completely model my system for REST approach and then implement it using SOAP/WSDL, CORBA or any other technology.

So what do we compare SOAP to?

I would say right comparison will be SOAP vs POX (Plain Old XML). Let me not get into much detail of how each one is laid down on the wire. On a high level POX is a lighter and easy to implement approach whereas SOAP is a more powerful and more interoperable.

So why do people still compare SOAP to REST?

It is the difference in how you model the system when you are going down the REST approach from how you would model the system if you were to use SOAP (of course I know it is not an approach J )

Look at how you would model a system with SOAP in mind:

Now look how you will model it when using REST approach:

I hope I have made my point.  J

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