XMPPs

Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol, or XMPP, is an open standard communication protocol for near real-time messaging, presentation information, and contact list maintenance. It is a decentralized, federated, and extensible technology that enables instant messaging, voice and video calls, and other real-time communications. XMPP is built upon XML, a markup language for encoding documents in a human-readable and machine-readable format.

The core of XMPP functionality relies on a distributed network of servers. Users are identified by XMPP addresses, often referred to as JIDs (Jabber IDs), which follow a format similar to email addresses, such as [email protected]. Each XMPP server manages the accounts and communications for a specific domain. When a user sends a message, it is routed through their home server to the recipient's server, and then delivered to the recipient's client.

One of XMPP's key strengths is its extensibility. The protocol allows for the addition of new features and functionalities through extensions, known as XEPs (XMPP Extension Protocols). This has led to a wide range of applications and services built on XMPP, including group chat, file transfer, end-to-end encryption, and even IoT communication. Its decentralized nature means that users are not locked into a single provider, fostering interoperability between different XMPP clients and servers. This federation allows for communication between users on different XMPP servers, similar to how email works.