WCF request/reply vs Web API request/response

Question

For me request/reply or request/response it's the same. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Request%E2%80%93response

Then why when we are referring to the WCF we are saying WCF supports request/reply and when we are referring to the Web API we are saying Web API supports request/response.

The way i see the flow is:

• Step 1, request to the server

• Step 2, the server responds/reply.

It really is a difference or it's just a naming issue?

Thank you.

Answer 1

I think it is mainly because of WCF using different terminology, while HTTP sticks to it's own request/response, but it is the same, check this wiki article . Both of them can act the same way with blocking request to get the response.

Answer 2

I suppose it's only a naming conventions, maybe because WCF can use any protocol (http, https, tcp, net tcp, msmq, and so on). Web Api instead works only using http.