Invoking web services that are determined at the time of execution

摘要

A method of invoking a web service in a software application comprises providing a software application comprising a machine-readable description of a functionality 105 to be supported by a web service to be invoked and a machine-readable description of an execution instruction 110 for the web service to be invoked, and determining a web service 115 that supports the function to be supported and the execution instruction. Determining a web service may comprise analyzing the description of a functionality to be supported so as to determine search parameters, and using these in conjunction with a web service search application (Figure 2). If several web services are identified as suitable, one may be selected in accordance with predetermined selection criteria such as age, version, cost, domain, processing requirements or historical use. The method provides for dynamic run-time resolution of a required web service, which reduces coupling to a specific web service during program development.