Techniques are described for assisting users in dynamically creating and
using composite services that are based on other constituent services. In
some situations, each constituent service is a Web service ("WS"), and
each composite service is a new WS whose execution involves dynamically
invoking multiple specified constituent WSes in a specified manner. Such
techniques may be used, for example, in conjunction with an electronic WS
marketplace via which third-party WS providers make their WSes available
to third-party WS consumers who locate and purchase access to those WSes,
such as to allow a user to dynamically create a new composite WS that is
based on one or more WSes available from other WS providers and that
reflects any constraints of the WS marketplace, with the composite WS
available for use by other WS consumers. This abstract is not intended
for use in interpreting or limiting the scope of the claims.