Web services are used to analyze digital communications, giving users a quick and easy method of connecting machines over a network. Web services rely on HTTP for communication and to transform machine-readable file formats - such as XML and JSON – to allow applications running on different platforms to exchange data over the Internet.

With web services, users can solve complex issues by using simple operations within systems such as customer relationship management (CRM) or enterprise resource planning (ERP). And since web services are based on open standards, such as HTTP and XML protocols, users can exchange data over the Internet using web services with applications on different platforms.

Web services provide a standard format for communication in order to support machine-to-machine interactions over the network using messages. They are scalable, simple and distributed. These services, also known as application services, do not require the implementation of browsers or HTML for communication. Looking forward, the top trends to watch in web services include:

• The arrival of progressive web apps (PWA): Mobile-friendly web applications combining the features of web browsers, with the experience and appearance of mobile applications
• Chatbots: 24/7 online support for an improved customer experience
• Push notifications: Personalized notifications delivered directly to customers’ mobile devices for increased engagement
• The response, animation, idle, load (RAIL) performance model: Categorized user actions into four main categories for improved web performance measurement and faster load times
• The motion user interface (UI): Moving effects within a website to help websites visually stand out among the competition
• Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR): Give users the feeling of a more hands-on, interactive experience when engaging with websites and applications

In the coming year, web services will bring new enterprise models, such as virtual enterprise, to help remove boundaries between suppliers, buyers, and manufacturers, to improve communications within the supply chain. Since web services are services, and not products, they can be carried out from anywhere around the globe, which will bring fundamental change to suppliers’ approach to IT and software operations and facilitate the move towards digital transformation and Industry 4.0.

Reliable Software’s offsite approach to web service delivery provides interoperability, low-cost communication and a standardized protocol for web-based applications. To learn more about how web services can improve your applications and communications in your supply chain, contact us today.