Chess engine communication protocol (CECP) is a standardized set of rules and formats that allows different chess software programs to interact and communicate with each other. It specifies the communication methods, data structures, and commands that should be used by a chess engine to exchange information with a user interface or other chess programs.
The main purpose of CECP is to enable compatibility and interoperability between different chess engines and user interfaces, regardless of their developers or underlying technologies. It ensures that chess programs can understand each other's messages, queries, and responses, allowing them to play games, analyze positions, and exchange moves and information accurately.
CECP defines the format and syntax for commands such as "new", "setboard", "go", "move", and "quit". It also specifies how data such as chess positions, moves, time controls, and search options should be encoded and exchanged between the chess engine and the user interface. Additionally, CECP includes error handling conventions to handle unexpected or invalid commands or responses.
The protocol can be implemented over various communication channels like standard input/output, TCP/IP sockets, or files. It allows developers to create chess engines and user interfaces for different platforms and programming languages while ensuring their compatibility and interaction.
Overall, CECP serves as a communication bridge between chess engines and user interfaces, facilitating the seamless exchange of data and commands, thus enabling the interaction and collaboration between different chess software programs.
