A Dummies Guide To Wcf Windows Communication Foundation

By Author: mayur aegis
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Microsoft .NET development framework is a platform for development, deployment, and management of applications for the desktop, Web, and Web services. The .NET framework contains the common language runtime (CLR) and a class library which contains pre-developed code for faster and quicker application development. Microsoft is increasingly focusing on a global footprint for .NET development especially among high-potential emerging markets like India. .NET development India has been boosted by .NET offshore projects, 3rd-party .NET training institutes, high quality of .NET developers, increasing availability of .NET developer positions, etc. Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) is a part of the .NET framework.
What is WCF?
WCF is a unified programming model within .NET development framework for developing and deploying service-oriented applications that seamlessly interface over the Web and across the enterprise. WCF makes it easy and convenient to develop Web services and Web service clients rapidly. Service-oriented programs built through .NET development framework can communicate among service endpoints. ...
... Service endpoints can either be a service of an application or a client requesting the service.
WCF features
Extensible: WCF has admission ports to incorporate extra functionality as required through customization of the service
Interoperable: WCF integrates numerous Web services specifications such as HTTP, SOAP, XML, XOP, WSS, etc., complying with the standards of Web service interoperability.
Secure: WCF complies with security service standards like SSL and WS-SecureConversation and supports encryption and user authentication thus ensuring privacy protection.
Durable: WCF saves messages in a database hence messages are never lost due to communication breakdowns. The data is extracted from the database to ensure complete transmission when communication is restored. Such a message created in WCF is called as a “durable message”.
Reliable: WCF ensures reliability of messages between a reliable messaging source and reliable messaging destination through WS-Reliable Messaging over MSMQ.
… and much more: WCF supports creation of service-oriented applications in service-oriented architecture (SOA) wherein any client can communicate with any service without barriers. WCF .NET development ensures multiple message patterns like request/reply pattern, one-way messaging pattern, duplex messaging pattern, etc. WCF can be used to publish metadata that will set up clients to use WCF services. Metadata publication uses formats like WSDL, WS-Policy, and XML Schema over HTTPS/HTTP/Web Service Metadata Exchange.
System requirements and applications development
WCF is installed on Windows Vista by default. It can be installed on Windows Server 2003 SP1, Windows Server 2003 R2, and Windows XP SP2. Developing distributed, service-oriented applications in WCF will include the following: developing/designing/deploying WCF service and client applications, configuring the services, hosting the services, and leveraging other WCF capabilities such as incorporation of extensibility options.

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