midWCF
What is metadata exchange (MEX) in WCF?
Updated May 6, 2026
Short answer
MEX allows clients to retrieve service metadata like WSDL.
Deep explanation
Metadata exchange endpoints expose service descriptions so clients can automatically generate proxies.
Real-world example
Tooling like Visual Studio generating service references.
Common mistakes
- Leaving metadata enabled in production insecurely.
Follow-up questions
- What is WSDL?
- Why disable MEX in production?