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In the most generic sense, a Web service is merely a function or procedure that can be called over theInternet. This generic definition includes Web services that can be called only from specific platforms, such as Windows, and only after installation of certain software on the client. However, in the context ofthis book, the term Web servicerefers to services that are platform-neutral and so can be called from anyplatform capable of communicating using standard Internet protocols. These platform-neutral Web serv- ices are sometimes referred to as XMLWeb servicesbecause XMLis typically the data transfer formatused for them. XMLis a text-based syntax that can be understood by various platforms, as I discuss in alater section. Despite common misconceptions, XMLWeb services can be called from applications thatare not browser-based, such as traditional Windows applications. As long as the application can commu- nicate using Internet protocols, non-Web based applications can make use of the same functionality. Despite the great value of Web services, their adoption industry-wide has been slow in coming. Thegreat news is that, as of this writing, Web APIs and Web services have finally been adopted by big play- ers in the industry. Industry leaders such as Google, Amazon, and eBay have embraced the Web servicesconcept and have created Web APIs that enable you to implement their core features in your own appli- cations. This recent movement toward Web APIs is my primary reason for writing this book. In it, youwill, of course, explore several leading Web APIs to learn how you can use them in your applications. As you will see in the following chapters, most of these leading Web APIs require you to obtain a devel- oper token that must be included in each request. Vendors require a developer token in order to controlhow much you use (and thus not abuse) the service and/or how much they should charge you. MostWeb APIs have a free limited-use license or trial period, and some of them require payment for the service. Web APIs as XML Web ServicesAs I mentioned previously, Web APIs are typically a related collection of Web services. Most of the Webservices available today are based on XMLand can, therefore, be called from various platforms. Thefocus of this book is primarily on XMLWeb services. Therefore, a brief explanation on XMLis appropri- ate before you learn the basics of calling XMLWeb services in your programs. What Is XML? XMLstands for eXtensible Markup Language, which is a text-based markup language. XMLis similar toHTMLin many ways, such as how it describes data by using tags. Avery simple example of an XMLdocument is shown here. < ?xml version= 1.0 encoding= UTF-8 ?> John Doe Jane Doe 2Chapter

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