· Communication Protocols & Standards
Communication Protocols & Standards

Communication Protocols & Standards

Communication protocols and standards form the backbone of networked software systems, enabling data exchange across applications, services, and devices. This domain spans enterprise integration protocols like SOAP, REST, and OData for structured data exchange; IoT-specific protocols like MQTT for lightweight device communication; real-time protocols including WebSockets, WebRTC, and SignalR for bidirectional streaming; and foundational security protocols such as HTTP, SSL, and TLS. Demand patterns vary dramatically by specialization—MQTT dominates IoT Systems Development roles at > 80% prevalence, REST appears across 24 different roles with highest concentration in Systems Integration (> 25%), and SOAP remains critical for Systems Integration (> 30%). Entry-level opportunities are strongest in REST (> 15% in API development), SOAP (> 15% in integration), and MQTT (> 75% in IoT). These protocols represent fundamental knowledge for backend engineering, with REST being the most universally applicable skill across specializations.

Enterprise Integration Protocols

Enterprise protocols enable structured communication between business applications, supporting data exchange, service orchestration, and system integration. SOAP and REST lead this category with > 30% and > 25% prevalence respectively in Systems Integration roles, while also appearing prominently in API Design & Development (REST at > 15%, SOAP at < 10%) and Fintech Development (both at > 10%). REST demonstrates the broadest applicability, appearing in 24 different roles including mobile, QA, and frontend positions. OData serves SAP and Microsoft ecosystems with < 5% prevalence in Enterprise Systems Development. IDoc handles SAP-specific integration at < 5% prevalence. Entry-level opportunities are excellent for REST (> 15%) and SOAP (> 15%) in integration and API development roles.

REST

Very High Demand
Rank: #1
Entry-Level: Very High
RESTful architecture for web services and APIs. Most prevalent in Systems Integration (> 25%), API Design & Development (> 15%), and Fintech Development (> 10%). Appears across 24 different roles including Backend Testing & QA (< 5%), iOS Development (< 5%), Android Development (< 5%), and Web Application Backend Development (< 5%). Strong entry-level opportunities (> 15% in API development). Used for HTTP-based APIs, microservices communication, and stateless web services.

SOAP

Very High Demand
Rank: #2
Entry-Level: Very High
XML-based protocol for enterprise web services. Dominates Systems Integration (> 30%) with strong presence in Fintech Development (> 10%) and API Design & Development (< 10%). Also appears in Backend Testing & QA (< 5%), Enterprise Systems Development (< 5%), and Web Application Backend Development (< 5%). Excellent entry-level opportunities (> 15% in integration). Used for enterprise system integration, legacy system connectivity, and formal contract-based web services.

OData

Moderate Demand
Rank: #3
Entry-Level: Moderate
Open protocol for RESTful data services, prevalent in Microsoft and SAP ecosystems. Found in Enterprise Systems Development (< 5%), Systems Integration (< 5%), and API Design & Development (< 5%). Good entry-level opportunities (< 5% in enterprise roles). Used for querying and manipulating data in REST APIs, SAP integrations, and Microsoft Dynamics applications.

IDoc

Moderate Demand
Rank: #4
Entry-Level: Moderate
SAP Intermediate Document format for data exchange. Specialized to Enterprise Systems Development (< 5%) and Systems Integration (< 5%). Limited entry-level opportunities (< 5%). Used for SAP system integrations, EDI transactions, and enterprise resource planning data exchange.

IoT Communication Protocols

IoT protocols enable efficient, reliable communication between resource-constrained devices and backend systems. MQTT dominates this space with > 80% prevalence in IoT Systems Development roles, representing the de facto standard for IoT messaging. Entry-level accessibility is exceptional at nearly 80%, making IoT engineering one of the most accessible specializations. MQTT also appears in Embedded Systems Development (< 5%) and integration contexts. The protocol's lightweight publish-subscribe model makes it essential for connected devices, sensor networks, and telemetry applications.

MQTT

Very High Demand
Rank: #1
Entry-Level: Very High
Lightweight publish-subscribe messaging protocol for IoT devices. Dominates IoT Systems Development with > 80% prevalence. Exceptional entry-level opportunities (nearly 80%). Also found in Embedded Systems Development (< 5%). Used for sensor data collection, device-to-cloud messaging, telemetry, smart home systems, and industrial IoT applications requiring reliable, low-bandwidth communication.

Real-time Communication Protocols

Real-time protocols enable bidirectional, low-latency communication for interactive applications and streaming services. WebSockets leads with < 5% prevalence in Real-time & Streaming Systems, iOS Development, and Android Development roles. WebRTC serves video/audio streaming needs with < 5% prevalence in streaming backend roles. SignalR provides ASP.NET real-time functionality with minimal prevalence (< 1%). Entry-level opportunities exist primarily for WebSockets (< 10% in streaming roles), while WebRTC typically requires senior expertise. These protocols power chat applications, live dashboards, multiplayer gaming, and video conferencing systems.

WebSockets

Moderate Demand
Rank: #1
Entry-Level: High
Full-duplex communication protocol over TCP. Found in iOS Development (< 5%), Real-time & Streaming Systems (< 5%), and Android Development (< 5%). Good entry-level opportunities (< 10% in streaming roles). Also appears in API Design & Development (< 1%), Frontend Development (< 1%), and Microservices Architecture (< 1%). Used for real-time chat, live dashboards, notifications, collaborative editing, and gaming.

WebRTC

Moderate Demand
Rank: #2
Entry-Level: Low
Peer-to-peer protocol for real-time audio, video, and data. Specialized to Real-time & Streaming Systems (< 5%) with additional presence in Android Development (< 1%) and iOS Development (< 1%). Very limited entry-level opportunities. Used for video conferencing, voice calls, screen sharing, and peer-to-peer file transfer applications.

SignalR

Low Demand
Rank: #3
Entry-Level: Low
ASP.NET library for real-time web functionality. Found in Real-time & Streaming Systems (< 1%), API Design & Development (< 1%), and Web Application Backend Development (< 1%). Requires senior-level experience. Used for real-time notifications, dashboards, and collaborative applications in .NET ecosystems.

Network & Security Fundamentals

Foundational network and security protocols underpin all networked applications, ensuring secure data transmission and proper communication. HTTP appears across 20 roles with highest concentration in IoT Systems Development (> 15%) and Security Engineering (< 5%). SSL and TLS are critical for Security Engineering (< 5%) and IoT contexts. Entry-level opportunities exist across security (< 5% for SSL/TLS) and IoT domains. These protocols represent core knowledge for any backend or systems engineer, forming the foundation for secure web services, API communication, and encrypted data transfer.

HTTP

Very High Demand
Rank: #1
Entry-Level: Moderate
Hypertext Transfer Protocol, the foundation of web communication. Most prevalent in IoT Systems Development (> 15%), API Design & Development (< 5%), and Security Engineering (< 5%). Appears across 20 roles including Systems Software Engineering (< 5%), Systems Integration (< 5%), and Embedded Systems Development (< 5%). Moderate entry-level opportunities (< 5%). Used for client-server communication, RESTful APIs, web services, and IoT device connectivity.

SSL

Moderate Demand
Rank: #2
Entry-Level: High
Secure Sockets Layer protocol for encrypted communication. Found in IoT Systems Development (< 5%), Security Engineering (< 5%), and Database Administration (< 1%). Good entry-level opportunities (< 5% in security roles). Used for securing HTTP traffic, database connections, email transmission, and IoT device authentication.

TLS

Moderate Demand
Rank: #3
Entry-Level: High
Transport Layer Security, successor to SSL for secure communications. Most prevalent in Security Engineering (< 5%), IoT Systems Development (< 5%), and Systems Software Engineering (< 1%). Good entry-level opportunities (< 5% in security). Used for HTTPS encryption, secure email, VPNs, and certificate-based authentication.

SSL/TLS

Moderate Demand
Rank: #4
Entry-Level: Moderate
Combined secure communication protocols knowledge. Specialized to Security Engineering (< 5%) with presence in Systems Software Engineering (< 1%) and mobile development roles. Limited entry-level opportunities (< 5%). Used for implementing secure communications, certificate management, and cryptographic best practices.