Re: Backgammon API

[Guido Flohr]

Hi,

> On 13 Nov 2023, at 21:22, Carsten Wenderdel <chrisforen@outlook.de> wrote:
> 
> In chess there is UCI, an interface understood by virtually all engines, bots 
> and GUIs. Wouldn’t it be great if we had something similar for backgammon? 
> Someone could write a new engine or GUI without worrying too much about the 
> other. If someone wanted to create a JavaScript or Flutter GUI on top of 
> GnuBG, it would be possible.

I have both implemented UCI and xboard and imho both ”protocols” are terrible. 
We should learn from their mistakes.

> In chess UCI uses standard input and output. I believe a modern 
> interpretation should be based on web technologies.

Absolutely.

What would really help would be a documentation of the external interface of 
GNUBG. That should allow anybody with decent knowledge in JavaScript, Python, 
Perl, you name it to write an adapter that translates GNUBG’s external 
interface to a new protocol.

For that new protocol, I think it makes sense to look at the FIBS protocol. Of 
course, I wouldn’t use raw sockets nowadays but a REST API or GraphQL but if 
board representations, moves, etc. resemble FIBS, it should be easier to modify 
existing clients to speak the new protocol.

Cheers,
Guido