Widespread use of the Messaging Metadata pattern can be seen in the emergence of many WS-* extensions that define industry standard SOAP header blocks that carry metadata.

Messaging frameworks and technologies need to provide support for the reading and writing of message headers or properties in order to fully support the application of the Messaging Metadata pattern.

The Messaging Metadata pattern is not applicable to situations where the message sender and receiver need to participate in stateful or conversational message exchanges.

The Messaging Metadata pattern can support the application of patterns such as Intermediate Routing by supplementing messages with activity-specific