BEEP (Blocks Extensible Exchange Protocol) is a framework for creating network application protocols. It includes an application protocol kernel for connection-oriented asynchronous interactions, and can be used both for binary and text-based messages within the context of a single application user identity.
BEEP is intended to abstract-out the common features that have traditionally been duplicated in each protocol implementation. BEEP typically runs on top of TCP and allows the exchange of messages called 'frames'. Unlike HTTP (and similar protocols), either end of the connection can send a frame at any time, and 'questions' and 'replies' can be interleaved easily. BEEP also includes facilities for encryption and authentication, and is highly extensible.
BEEP integrates the best practices for common, basic mechanisms that are needed when designing an application protocol over TCP. For example, it handles things like peer-to-peer, client/server, and server/client interactions. Depending on how you count, there are about a dozen or so issues that arise time and time again, and BEEP just deals with them. BEEP's goal is simple: you, the protocol designer, focus on the protocol details for your problem domain, and BEEP takes care of the other details. It turns out that the vast majority of application protocols have more similarities than differences. The similarities primarily deal with " administrative overhead"—things you need for a working system, but aren't specific to the problem at hand. BEEP mechanizes the similar parts, and lets you focus on the interesting stuff.
