web-service-basics: what is web service?

Web service is a language independent service deployed on web or cloud network. To make it language independent it is developed by using XML, SOAP, WSDL, etc. As the most common example of web service you usually have seen is captcha verification on various website. and near captcha code you see also a company name after powered by. It means it is web service developed by the company having prefix powered by. It can be integrated in any web application whether it is developed in any language like(Java, PHP, .NET, etc.)

As we know that all languages support XML and web service allows all communication between web applications. That´s why Web services does not depend on any one operating system or programming language.