A service-oriented architecture (SOA) is an architectural approach in software development in which software components are provided as services over a network. These services are reusable, loosely coupled units that communicate via defined interfaces.
SOA was developed to increase the flexibility and scalability of IT systems. By modularizing functions into independent services, companies can better adapt and expand their IT landscape. The term became popular in the early 2000s as companies investigated how to modernize their complex, monolithic applications.
SOA is used in many areas of IT and business, particularly where integration and interoperability of different systems are important. Typical areas of application are:
Key benefits of SOA include:
Potential challenges when implementing SOA include:
An example of how to use SOA is a company's self-service portal that integrates various backend services such as user management, payment processing, and product catalog. These services can be developed and maintained independently, keeping the portal flexible and expandable.
Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) is an approach to software development that is based on the provision of loosely coupled, reusable services. This enables a flexible, scalable, and interoperable IT architecture, but it also poses management, performance, and security challenges.