Web services allow communication between devices over a network by following set rules and standards. They take in data, process it, and return information. Common examples include Google Maps and cloud computing services. Web services are widely used, such as for email, weather, and document storage. They work by running on top of existing protocols and being hosted on remote servers that clients can access over the internet. The main benefits are centralized data processing and storage, sharing of information between clients, and improved security. The future of web services involves greater use of cloud computing and combining data from different services into single applications.

1. Darragh Whelan - 20029611