What technology is characterized as older and primarily allowing XML data?

SOAP, which stands for Simple Object Access Protocol, is a protocol that was developed earlier in the timeline of web services, primarily used for exchanging structured information in the implementation of web services. One of the defining characteristics of SOAP is that it uses XML as its message format, which allows for complex data structures and types to be represented.

In many cases, SOAP provides a more rigid framework for communication, including built-in error handling, security, and transaction compliance, which is necessary for certain applications, especially in enterprise environments. This reliance on XML is significant, as it facilitates communication between diverse systems that may not have a common programming language or platform.

While other technologies mentioned have their own data formats and characteristics—such as REST which typically uses JSON or XML, SAS which is a software suite for advanced analytics, and JSON which is a lightweight data interchange format—SOAP remains distinct for its older architecture and its exclusive use of XML for data exchange.