Which statement describes a key characteristic of SOAP?

• A. It uses XML rather than HTTP to define the content of the message.
• B. It uses JSON to structure the message content.
• C. It relies on binary encoding for messages.
• D. It uses MQTT for transport.

Answer: (C)

XML-based messaging is the defining characteristic of SOAP. A SOAP message is an XML document that uses an Envelope with an optional Header and a mandatory Body to carry the application data. This XML framing makes SOAP platform- and language-neutral and self-describing. The transport used to deliver the XML payload is separate from the message format; HTTP is the common choice, but SOAP can run over other transports as well. Because of that, SOAP is not JSON; it is not inherently binary-encoded, and while other protocols like MQTT exist, they aren’t what SOAP is built around. So the accurate description is that SOAP relies on XML to define the content of the message, with HTTP typically used as the transport.