Zend_Soap_Server class is intended to simplify Web Services server part development for PHP programmers. It may be used in WSDL or non-WSDL mode, and using classes or functions to define Web Service API. When Zend_Soap_Server component works in the WSDL mode, it uses already prepared WSDL document to define server object behavior and transport layer options. WSDL document may be auto-generated with functionality provided by Zend_Soap_AutoDiscovery component or should be constructed manually using Zend_Soap_Wsdl class or any other XML generating tool. If the non-WSDL mode is used, then all protocol options have to be set using options mechanism. Zend_Soap_Server constructor should be used a bit differently for WSDL and non-WSDL modes. Zend_Soap_Server constructor takes two optional parameters when it works in WSDL mode: $wsdl, which is an URI of a WSDL file May be set later using setWsdl($wsdl) method. . $options - options to create SOAP server object Options may be set later using setOptions($options) method. . The following options are recognized in the WSDL mode: 'soap_version' ('soapVersion') - soap version to use (SOAP_1_1 or SOAP_1_2). 'actor' - the actor URI for the server. 'classmap' ('classMap') which can be used to map some WSDL types to PHP classes. The option must be an array with WSDL types as keys and names of PHP classes as values. 'encoding' - internal character encoding (UTF-8 is always used as an external encoding). 'wsdl' which is equivalent to setWsdl($wsdlValue) call. The first constructor parameter must be set to NULL if you plan to use Zend_Soap_Server functionality in non-WSDL mode. You also have to set 'uri' option in this case (see below). The second constructor parameter ($options) is an array with options to create SOAP server object Options may be set later using setOptions($options) method. . The following options are recognized in the non-WSDL mode: 'soap_version' ('soapVersion') - soap version to use (SOAP_1_1 or SOAP_1_2). 'actor' - the actor URI for the server. 'classmap' ('classMap') which can be used to map some WSDL types to PHP classes. The option must be an array with WSDL types as keys and names of PHP classes as values. 'encoding' - internal character encoding (UTF-8 is always used as an external encoding). 'uri' (required) - URI namespace for SOAP server. There are two ways to define Web Service API when your want to give access to your PHP code through SOAP. The first one is to attach some class to the Zend_Soap_Server object which has to completely describe Web Service API: setClass('MyClass'); // Bind already initialized object to Soap Server $server->setObject(new MyClass()); ... $server->handle(); ]]> You should completely describe each method using method docblock if you plan to use autodiscover functionality to prepare corresponding Web Service WSDL. The second method of defining Web Service API is using set of functions and addFunction() or loadFunctions() methods: addFunction('function1'); $server->addFunction('function2'); ... $server->handle(); ]]> This section describes advanced request/response processing options and may be skipped. Zend_Soap_Server component performs request/response processing automatically, but allows to catch it and do some pre- and post-processing. Zend_Soap_Server::handle() method takes request from the standard input stream ('php://input'). It may be overridden either by supplying optional parameter to the handle() method or by setting request using setRequest() method: handle($request); ... // Set request using setRequest() method $server->setRequest(); $server->handle(); ]]> Request object may be represented using any of the following: DOMDocument (casted to XML) DOMNode (owner document is grabbed and casted to XML) SimpleXMLElement (casted to XML) stdClass (__toString() is called and verified to be valid XML) string (verified to be valid XML) Last processed request may be retrieved using getLastRequest() method as an XML string: handle(); $request = $server->getLastRequest(); ]]> Zend_Soap_Server::handle() method automatically emits generated response to the output stream. It may be blocked using setReturnResponse() with TRUE or FALSE as a parameter Current state of the Return Response flag may be requested with setReturnResponse() method. . Generated response is returned by handle() method in this case. setReturnResponse(true); ... $response = $server->handle(); ... ]]> Last response may be also retrieved by getLastResponse() method for some post-processing: handle(); $response = $server->getLastResponse(); ... ]]>