SOAP Envelope XML Explained | Generated by AI
What is an Envelope XML?
I believe “envalop” is a typo for “envelope,” referring to the SOAP Envelope in XML. SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) is a protocol for exchanging structured information in web services using XML. The SOAP Envelope is the root element of a SOAP message, which wraps the entire message to identify it as a SOAP document. It ensures the receiver knows it’s a complete message.
A basic SOAP Envelope structure looks like this:
<soap:Envelope xmlns:soap="http://www.w3.org/2003/05/soap-envelope">
<soap:Header>
<!-- Optional: Metadata like authentication -->
</soap:Header>
<soap:Body>
<!-- Mandatory: The actual payload/data -->
<YourCustomElement>
<Data>Some value</Data>
</YourCustomElement>
</soap:Body>
</soap:Envelope>
- Envelope: Defines the start/end of the message and namespace.
- Header (optional): For non-body info like security or routing.
- Body (required): Contains the request/response data.
This format makes SOAP messages self-contained and transport-agnostic (e.g., over HTTP).
How to Use SOAP Envelope XML in Java
Java has built-in support for SOAP via the JAX-WS (Java API for XML Web Services) and SAAJ (SOAP with Attachments API for Java) libraries, part of the JDK (no external dependencies needed for basics).
Steps to Create and Send a SOAP Message:
- Create a SOAP Message: Use
javax.xml.soapto build the envelope programmatically. - Add Content: Populate the Body (and Header if needed).
- Send via HTTP: Use
HttpURLConnectionor a client like JAX-WS for full web service calls.
Here’s a simple Java example to create a SOAP Envelope and print it (you can extend this to send it over HTTP):
import javax.xml.soap.*;
import java.util.Iterator;
public class SoapEnvelopeExample {
public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
// Create a SOAP factory
SOAPFactory soapFactory = SOAPFactory.newInstance();
// Create the message and envelope
MessageFactory messageFactory = MessageFactory.newInstance();
SOAPMessage soapMessage = messageFactory.createMessage();
SOAPEnvelope envelope = soapMessage.getSOAPEnvelope();
// Namespace for SOAP (version 1.2)
envelope.addNamespaceDeclaration("soap", "http://www.w3.org/2003/05/soap-envelope");
// Create Body element
SOAPBody body = envelope.getBody();
SOAPBodyElement bodyElement = body.addBodyElement(soapFactory.createName("GetBalance", "ns", "http://example.com"));
SOAPElement amount = bodyElement.addChildElement("AccountNumber", "ns", "http://example.com");
amount.addTextNode("12345");
// Save and print the message
soapMessage.saveChanges();
System.out.println("SOAP Envelope:");
soapMessage.writeTo(System.out);
}
}
- Output: This generates a SOAP XML with the envelope, body, and your custom elements.
- To Send It: Wrap in a JAX-WS client. Generate stubs from a WSDL file using
wsimporttool:wsimport -keep YourService.wsdl. Then use the generated client classes to invoke methods, which handle the envelope automatically. - Libraries: For advanced use, add Apache CXF or Axis2 if needed, but stick to JDK for simplicity.
Run this in any Java environment (JDK 8+). For full web services, ensure your project handles exceptions like SOAPException.
Does Finacle Use Envelope (SOAP XML)?
Yes, Finacle (Infosys’s core banking software) extensively uses SOAP XML envelopes for integration. It exposes web services via SOAP over HTTP through the Finacle Integrator layer, allowing external systems to communicate using standard SOAP protocols. This includes EJB interactions and middleware for services like account queries or transactions. Finacle’s APIs often follow SOAP standards for secure, XML-based messaging in banking integrations.
XML Soap - W3Schools
The structure of a SOAP message - IBM
SOAP - Envelope - Tutorials Point
[java - how to add