Introduction In this post, we’ll dive deep into the fascinating evolution of web services—from their early SOAP-based beginnings, through the rise of WebDAV and REST, and all the way to modern solutions like GraphQL and gRPC. Each approach addressed a particular set of challenges, and all of them left a lasting mark on the way applications talk to each other over the Internet. Let’s explore how web services went from clunky XML exchanges to streamlined JSON endpoints to high-performance, real-time systems. Regardless of whether you are a seasoned developer or just starting your journey, understanding these historical shifts will give you valuable insights into the “why” behind today’s popular API styles. Early Days with SOAP and RPC-Focused Services The Advent of Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) In the late 1990s, Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) emerged as a game-changer for exchanging data across different platforms. It mainly ran over HTTP (though it wasn’t strictly li...