Summoner is a protocol for secure, reliable communication between independent agents. Let us briefly review what a protocol is, and why it matters for coordination.
A protocol defines the rules that enable effective communication and coordination. Protocols determine:
- How messages are formatted and sent.
- How silence, delays, or errors are handled.
- The expectations and behavior of all participating components.
Without clear protocols, systems become inefficient or fail entirely.
Note
Definition. A client is a program that initiates a connection to a server to send requests and receive responses.
Definition. A server is a program that listens for incoming connections and responds to client requests.
In the Summoner platform, clients form the basis of agents, while servers act as coordination points where multiple agents can connect and exchange messages. For more details, see the sections on clients and servers.
Summoner builds on TCP, a foundational internet protocol introduced in the 1970s, to ensure reliable communication between agents and servers. TCP handles low-level concerns like connection ordering, retransmission, and data integrity — allowing Summoner to focus on higher-level structures like routes, flows, and asynchronous coordination. Optional extensions can then add identity and signed-envelope layers on top of that core.
After reviewing the basics of servers and clients in the Summoner platform, we will examine how these components can be set up and executed in practice in the Beginner's Guide.