WCF Assessment Test (Windows Communication Foundation)

A WCF (Windows Communication Foundation) Assessment Test is designed to evaluate a candidate’s proficiency with WCF, a framework for building service-oriented applications in .NET. WCF is used to build and manage distributed applications that communicate over various protocols.

A WCF Assessment Test evaluates candidates for:

1. WCF Basics

• Overview of WCF: Understanding what WCF is and its purpose in building service-oriented applications.
• WCF Architecture: Familiarity with the WCF architecture, including key components such as services, endpoints, bindings, and contracts.
• Service Contracts: Defining and implementing service contracts using [ServiceContract] and [OperationContract] attributes.
• Data Contracts: Defining data contracts using [DataContract] and [DataMember] attributes.

2. Service Configuration

• Configuring Services: Knowledge of configuring WCF services in web.config or app.config, including service behaviors, bindings, and endpoints.
• Bindings: Understanding different WCF bindings (e.g., BasicHttpBinding, NetTcpBinding, WSHttpBinding) and their use cases.
• Endpoints: Configuring endpoints for a WCF service, including address, binding, and contract.

3. Hosting WCF Services

• Hosting Options: Knowledge of different hosting options for WCF services, such as IIS (Internet Information Services), Windows Services, and Self-Hosting.
• Service Hosting: Setting up and configuring services in IIS, Windows Services, or self-hosting applications.

4. Communication and Protocols

• Protocols: Understanding communication protocols supported by WCF, such as HTTP, TCP, and MSMQ (Message Queuing).
• Message Patterns: Implementing different message patterns, including request-response, one-way, and duplex communication.

5. Security in WCF

• Authentication: Configuring authentication mechanisms in WCF, including Windows authentication, username/password authentication, and certificate-based authentication.
• Authorization: Implementing authorization using roles and permissions.
• Message Security: Configuring message security and transport security to protect data in transit.
• Data Protection: Understanding how to secure data with encryption and other security measures.

6. Fault Handling

• Exception Handling: Implementing custom fault handling and using the [FaultContract] attribute to define fault contracts.
• Fault Exceptions: Handling and managing exceptions and faults in WCF services.

7. Transactions

• Transaction Flow: Implementing transactions in WCF services using the [TransactionFlow] attribute and understanding transaction options.
• Transaction Management: Configuring and managing transactions across multiple operations or services.

8. Message and Data Exchange

• Message Contracts: Using message contracts to control the SOAP message format and structure.
• Data Contracts: Working with data contracts to serialize and deserialize data.

9. Service Discovery

• Service Metadata: Configuring and accessing service metadata using WSDL (Web Services Description Language) and service endpoints.
• Service Discovery: Implementing service discovery mechanisms, such as UDDI (Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration) if applicable.

10. Performance and Scalability

• Performance Tuning: Techniques for optimizing the performance of WCF services, including caching, efficient data handling, and tuning service configurations.
• Scalability: Understanding scalability considerations and best practices for deploying scalable WCF services.

11. Versioning and Extensibility

• Service Versioning: Strategies for versioning WCF services and maintaining backward compatibility.
• Extensibility: Extending WCF services with custom behaviors, extensions, and message inspectors.

12. Testing and Debugging

• Testing WCF Services: Techniques for testing WCF services, including unit tests and integration tests.
• Debugging: Using tools and techniques for debugging WCF services, including tracing and logging.

13. Best Practices

• Design Patterns: Understanding common design patterns and best practices for building robust and maintainable WCF services.
• Documentation: Importance of documenting WCF services, including contracts, operations, and configurations.

Overall, a WCF Assessment Test evaluates a candidate's ability to design, implement, and manage WCF services effectively, ensuring they can build secure, reliable, and performant service-oriented applications using WCF.