Windows Communication Foundation in Framework 4.0

Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) provides the following improvements:

• Configuration-based activation: Removes the requirement for having an .svc file.
  
• System.Web.Routing integration: Gives you more control over your service's URL by allowing the use of extensionless URLs.
  
• Multiple IIS site bindings support: Allows you to have multiple base addresses with the same protocol on the same Web site.
  
• Routing Service: Allows you to route messages based on content.
  
• Support for WS-Discovery: Allows you to create and search for discoverable services.
  
• Standard endpoints: Predefined endpoints that allow you to specify only certain properties.
  
• Workflow services: Integrates WCF and WF by providing activities to send and receive messages, the ability to correlate messages based on content, and a workflow service host.
  
• WCF REST features:
  
  • Web HTTP caching: Allows caching of Web HTTP service responses.
    
  • Web HTTP formats support: Allows you to dynamically determine the best format for a service operation to respond in.
    
  • Web HTTP services help page: Provides an automatic help page for Web HTTP services, similar to the WCF service help page.
    
  • Web HTTP error handling: Allows Web HTTP Services to return error information in the same format as the operation.
    
  • Web HTTP cross-domain JavaScript support: Allows use of JSON Padding (JSONP).
    
• Simplified configuration: Reduces the amount of configuration a service requires