About wcf
The framework used to develop service-oriented applications by sending data asynchronously is known as WCF. The data sent asynchronously is from one service endpoint to another. It is possible that the endpoint is a client of a service requesting data from the service endpoint. The data transferred will either be a character or word sent as XML.
Various Web services can be implemented using WCF standards such as:
- WS-Addressing
- WS-ReliableMessaging
- WS-Security
Various new features introduced with the release of the .NET Framework 4.0 are as follows:
- Provides RSS Syndication Services
- Provides WS-Discovery
- Supports routing
- Provides support for REST services
Main uses
Here, let’s talk about why should we use WCF service.
- Initially, the client uses Java application to interact with the service so that the message of XML format and the HTTP protocol can be sent.
- The next client uses the .NET Framework to ensure better performance as the client may send messages in binary format using TCP protocol.
History of wcf
With the help of WCF, developers can build secure as well as reliable applications that integrate across platforms and interoperate with the existing platform. The version history of WCF is as follows:
- With the release of WCF 4.5, the .NET Framework 4.5 and Visual Studio 2012 was introduced.
- With the release of WCF 4.0, the .NET Framework 4.0 and Visual Studio 2010 was introduced.
- With the release of WCF 3.5, the .NET Framework 3.5 and Visual Studio 2008 was introduced.
- With the release of WCF 3.0, the .NET Framework 3.0 and Visual Studio 2005 was introduced.
The evolution of WCF was from COM that is Component Object Model, followed by the introduction to DCOM and then .NET Remoting. Further, Web services were introduced and then finally WCF. The advantage of using COM is that various components are introduced in different languages that are used to write the software components. Also, this programming language can be used to interact with each other.
Further, with the introduction of DCOM, it has been considered that it is designed only for the communication with the .NET applications and Windows platforms. .NET Remoting keeps the promises of providing simple, extensible, flexible, and scalable platforms.
The Web services are in accordance to the XSD and WSDL document standards to enable the communication. The work on WCF was started with the introduction of the .NET Framework.