Trying to figure it out with WCF can't understand some basic concepts.

  1. I read that this is a tool for exchanging data between applications. But at the same time - this is supposedly a separate service. Further in Google I find that the Windows service and WCF are not the same. I would like to understand what is the actual difference between a Windows service and a WCF service?

  2. It is not at all clear what endpoints and contract are. Here, I generally stalled.

Help at least briefly figure it out.

    1 answer 1

    In short: WCF-service can be viewed as an API of a certain application for client applications. At the same time, the service itself is not required to be part of the API application to which it provides. For example, a WCF service can be used to provide access to a database, which, for a number of reasons, may not be available to clients directly via ADO or other adapters. DAtaContract declares supported types for data exchange. OperationContract declares the methods available to be invoked by clients. EndPoint is actually the address where the service is available to customers.

    The windows service is a program running in the background, usually without an interface. It is designed to perform any actions without user involvement, for example, monitor updates, keep logs, etc.