Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of SOAP?

SOAP, which stands for Simple Object Access Protocol, is a protocol used for exchanging structured information in the implementation of web services. A key characteristic of SOAP is that it is designed to be stateless, meaning that each call from the client to the server is treated as an independent transaction. This is why it does not require session management.

The protocol typically uses XML for message formatting, which is essential for enabling interoperability between different systems. Additionally, SOAP can operate over multiple transport protocols like HTTP, SMTP, and others, allowing flexibility in how messages are sent. Furthermore, SOAP is often used for remote procedure calls (RPC), where a client can trigger a function on a remote server as though it were a local call, further exemplifying its capabilities in modern web services.

While some implementations may utilize stateful interaction patterns, SOAP itself does not inherently require them, making it clearer that the characteristic suggesting it is stateful and requires session management is not a defining feature of SOAP.