Technical Protocol

A Technical Protocol is a technical standard that is a formal specification that defines interaction rules (between technical systems).

• AKA: Protocol Specification, Communication Protocol.
• Context:
  • It can typically perform Protocol Functions through specification rules:
    • Protocol Input: system messages, data packets, control signals
    • Protocol Output: response messages, status codes, acknowledgments
    • Protocol Performance Measure: transmission speed, error rate, compliance level
  • ...
  • It can typically define Communication Patterns through interaction rules.
  • It can typically specify Data Formats through format standards.
  • It can typically ensure System Compatibility through interface standards.
  • It can typically maintain Protocol Versioning through version control.
  • ...
  • It can often enable Error Recovery through error handling.
  • It can often support System Extension through protocol extensions.
  • It can often provide Security Control through security mechanisms.
  • It can often facilitate Performance Optimization through efficiency measures.
  • ...
  • It can range from being a Simple Protocol to being a Complex Protocol, depending on its protocol complexity.
  • It can range from being a Low-Level Protocol to being a High-Level Protocol, depending on its abstraction level.
  • It can range from being a Single-Purpose Protocol to being a Multi-Purpose Protocol, depending on its functional scope.
  • It can range from being a Proprietary Protocol to being an Open Protocol, depending on its ownership model.
  • ...
  • It can be documented in a Protocol Specification Document.
  • It can be validated through Protocol Testing.
  • It can be implemented via Protocol Implementation.
  • It can be supported by Protocol Tools.
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • Network Protocols, such as:
    • Internet Protocols, such as:
      • TCP/IP Protocol for network communication.
      • HTTP Protocol for web communication.
    • Transport Protocols, such as:
      • UDP Protocol for fast transmission.
      • SMTP Protocol for email transmission.
  • Application Protocols, such as:
    • Data Exchange Protocols, such as:
      • REST Protocol for web services.
      • GraphQL Protocol for data query.
    • Security Protocols, such as:
      • SSL/TLS Protocol for secure communication.
      • OAuth Protocol for authentication.
  • System Protocols, such as:
    • Integration Protocols, such as:
      • API Protocol for system integration.
      • Message Queue Protocol for asynchronous communication.
    • Control Protocols, such as:
      • Remote Procedure Call Protocol for distributed systems.
      • Device Control Protocol for hardware management.
  • AI-Supporting Protocols, such as:
    • Model Integration Protocols, such as:
      • Model Context Protocol for AI system integration.
      • Model Inference Protocol for model serving.
    • AI Data Protocols, such as:
      • Vector Database Protocol for embedding storage.
      • Training Data Protocol for model training.
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • Informal Standards, which lack formal specifications.
  • Implementation Guidelines, which suggest rather than specify interaction rules.
  • Best Practices, which provide recommendations rather than requirements.
• See: Protocol Standard, System Interface, Communication Standard, Technical Specification, Interaction Pattern.

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