[stephenr]

> XML is to JSON as SOAP is to REST

That's true. Both XML and SOAP are well defined, and well structured.

JSON and REST are both marginally defined, and thus we see constant incompatible/incomplete implementations, or weird hacks to overcome the shortcomings.

> we have better tools now

I think "the cool kids are cargo-culting something newer now" is probably more accurate.

[icebraining]

Nitpick: REST is very well defined. It's not just a protocol, like some people insist.

Other than that, fully in agreement.

[stephenr]

Rest is effectively a concept, and its up to developers to follow the rules it sets.

You can't take your codebase, add some glue code to a REST module, and know that it will be usable by any other REST consumer/client, because no one follows the guidelines exactly the same way.