What is a web service?

In the course of your work as an analyst, you might sometimes need to use specialized interfaces for data retrieval, such as direct database queries or proprietary protocols. However, this is a rare case because today almost all external data sources are exposed as web services, even within an enterprise. Web services are the most common and popular way to communicate information between heterogeneous information systems, and they offer several advantages. They enable seamless integration by using standard internet protocols, ensuring broad compatibility across platforms and languages. Web services facilitate scalability and flexibility, allowing systems to adapt to changing needs without extensive reconfiguration. They also support secure data transmission through encryption and authentication mechanisms, improving data privacy and integrity. In addition, web services can significantly reduce development time and costs by leveraging reusable components and...