XML Web Services From Scratch with PHP and NuSOAP

Abstract

The purpose of this document is to clarify once and for all everything about XML, XML-based Web Services and the use of PHP/NuSOAP to implement and consume WebServices.

Introduction to XML

XML stands for EXtensible Markup Language it is designed to transport and store data. Note that for pure/straight data consumption between processes one may very well use JSON as a data format, but when the data has to be stored and possibly read by humans, then XML is convenient.

[ 200810210905 ] An earlier document: Introduction to XML.

... which has a nice introduction to the xmlns xml attribute.

Using PHP's SimpleXMLElement

[ 200810211128 ]

XSDs (XML Schema) 

[ 200810211214 ]

Now that we know what a schema is, and can describe XML documents and their structures, let us move into building Web Services.

Introduction to Web Services

[ 200810211345 ]

SOAP (RPC)

[ 200810211421 ]

NuSOAP (Part 1)

[ 200810211455 ]

NuSOAP (Part 2 -- the same but with the WSDL)

[ 200810211607 ]