What is a WSDL?

Question

When working with Web Service technology I often hear the term WSDL (pronouced: wiz-dul). What is a WSDL, how does it relate to Web Services, and what purpose does it serve?

Answer 1

A WSDL (Web Services Description Language) is basically an XML structured document that serves as the specification for a given web service. It describes how a given web service can be called, what parameters it expects, and what data structures it returns.

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_Services_Description_Language

http://www.w3schools.com/webservices/ws_wsdl_intro.asp