What is the primary function of the WSDL in a web service?

The primary function of the Web Services Description Language (WSDL) is to describe the web service interface. WSDL is an XML-based language that specifies the location of the service and the operations (methods) offered by the service. It provides a machine-readable format for clients to understand how to interact with a web service by detailing the data types involved, input and output message formats, and the protocols used for communication.

This descriptive capability allows developers to generate client-side code and ensures that any application consuming the web service knows the exact requirements for sending requests and parsing responses. The clarity and standardization provided by WSDL help facilitate interoperability among different systems that may rely on the web service.

In comparison, other functions listed pertain to different aspects of web services or application security rather than the description of the web service interface itself. Therefore, understanding the role of WSDL in accurately describing web services is essential for integration tasks and developing client applications that interact with such services efficiently.