A runtime architecture for web services utilizes a container driver to accept an invoke request for web services, such as from a protocol adapter. The container driver performs any necessary data binding and unbinding required to process the invoke request and associated message context, utilizing an appropriate plugin component. An interceptor receives the context information from the container driver and modifies the message context for web service compatibility. An invocation handler receives the formatted context information from the container driver and passes parameters from the message context to the target of the request. The invocation handler processes values returned from the target and passes these values to the container driver. The container driver can then formulate a response to the invoke request, and return the response and message context to the client or protocol adapter.