Web services allow programs to communicate over a network. There are two main types: SOAP and REST. SOAP uses XML and HTTP POST, while REST can use HTTP verbs like GET and POST with data formats like JSON or XML. Authentication for web services can be done with basic authentication, tokens, or OAuth. REST follows principles like using resources and URIs, being stateless, and cacheable. SOAP defines an envelope, header, and body for messages in an XML format.
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