web-servicesmagentomagento-soap-api

Web Service Responses of Magento API

Can some people offer some light on the following questions? I believe that the following questions are very much debatable, but I just want to know the mere facts which will enlighten me & of course many others viewing this general question post.

  1. Why does Magento API produces Web Service Responses in XML format & not in JSON format? There should be some advantages in producing the responses in XML format. I want to know those advantages mainly.
  2. In Magento terminology, there are two API versions mentioned - "Normal API" (api/soap) & "API v2 (api/v2_soap)". What's the difference (mainly the advantages) between these two versions, & where does WSDL fit in?
  3. If I'm to create a new Web Service, should I be targeting SOAP v1 format, or the SOAP v2 format, or both of these formats?
  4. Can the Web Service create a general definition of WSDL, based on my requirements, in Magento? What I want is that I want to know whether the "wsdl.xml" file (residing in the "etc" folder of the Magento module) for any particular Magento API module can be generated dynamically? If I provide my required API method name, along with all the property names, types, and also the Response data types, then will I get the "wsdl.xml file dynamically generated with all the Complex Types & Methods & Messages properly mentioned?"

If possible, please provide some good links, from where this spider-webs of Magento Web Services can be thoroughly cleared. Also, please consider my expertise in this field of Web Service as a novice one, so that based on any valuable input, I can re-frame the question.

Help appreciated & thanks a lot to everybody.

My Main point of asking this question is that I want to make new custom APIs which can be used by any systems, whether it be ERP / CRM / SAP / Cloud / anything in general.

P.S.
I tried posting this question in the Programmers Stack Exchange area, but due to the lack of available required tags (like magento, wsdl & soap), I had to post it here. If possible & required, please transfer this question to proper stack exchange area.

Solution

    1. API is not for ajax(frontend), but to integrate Magento (frontend shop) with different ERP, CRM, SAP (backend tools) systems - to import data and get reports. That's why it's using XML.

    2. This is not magento's terminology. This is done mainly for legacy support. So you have to use lates one - v2.

    3. What means general definition of WSDL? WSDL describes published functionality - available calls/resources. If you don't need it you need to overwrite configuration files to not publish everything but only necessary ones or do this form admin area.

    Could you tell more clear and more technically what do you need to do with API?