WCF

Overview
- Framework for Service-Oriented application
- API in System.ServiceModel namespace
- Unify distributed system technologies
- Single Window programming model for SOA
- Utilize .NET Framework

Fundamentals
- Set of APIs for sending messages between clients and services
- Unifies the features of COM+, .NET Remoting, MSMQ, Enterprise Services, Web Services(ASMX) and Web Service Enhancements(WSE)
- Interoperability with existing DSTs
- Built on .NET Framework
- .NET Framework through System.Net.Sockets.Socket and System.Messaging.MessageQueue etc.

Architecture

Architecture - Contracts

- Data Contract – Paremeters in message consumed by a service (metadata datatype)
- Message Contract – Message structure used for communication
- Service Contract – Service name, namespace and attributes
- Operation Contract – Member method of Service Contract interface returning operation type and parameters
- Service Runtime – Behaviors only occurred during operation
- Messaging – Formats and Message Exchange Patterns of the data
- Activation & Hosting – Either self-hosted or hosted in the contect of another application (EXE, Windows Service, COM+ component or IIS module)

ABCs

- Address – Identify Service
- Bindings – “Canned” Policies
- Contract – Expose Service