title: JSON, REST, SOAP, WSDL, and SOA: How do they all link together
body: <p>Currently doing some exams and I'm struggling through some concepts. These have all been 'mentioned' in my notes really but I didn't really understand how they all linked together. As far as my understanding is:</p>
  
  <p>SOA - a solution to make service consumers/providers communicate. (as far as I understand this is the umbrella term for everything else)</p>
  
  <p>WSDL - A language that describes the provider service.</p>
  
  <p>SOAP - A XML protocol 'wrapper' used by the services to send messages. Works in conjunction with WSDL as to provide parameters?</p>
  
  <p>REST - A design pattern that is similar to SOAP in function but avoids the XML? (really not sure about this one)</p>
  
  <p>JSON - An alternative to XML that uses javascript? (not sure about this one either)</p>
  
  <p>Looking around in the internet there doesn't seem to be a clear definition of what all of these are and how they interlink.</p>