# ExUtcp
[](https://hex.pm/packages/ex_utcp)
[](https://hex.pm/packages/ex_utcp)
[](https://hex.pm/packages/ex_utcp)
[](https://hexdocs.pm/ex_utcp)
Elixir implementation of the Universal Tool Calling Protocol (UTCP).
<img width="1024" height="1024" alt="ex_utcp" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/d94d0357-6b73-4e8d-b9d9-a2359131e689" />
## Introduction
The Universal Tool Calling Protocol (UTCP) is a standard for defining and interacting with tools across communication protocols. UTCP emphasizes scalability, interoperability, and ease of use.
Key characteristics:
* **Scalability**: Handles large numbers of tools and providers without performance degradation
* **Interoperability**: Supports multiple provider types including HTTP, [WebSockets](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6455), [gRPC](https://grpc.io/), and CLI tools
* **Ease of Use**: Built on simple, well-defined patterns
## Features
* Transports: HTTP, CLI, WebSocket, gRPC, GraphQL, MCP
* Streaming support across all transports
* OpenAPI Converter: Automatic API discovery and tool generation
* Variable substitution via environment variables or `.env` files
* In-memory repository for providers and tools
* Authentication: API Key, Basic, OAuth2
* Connection pooling and lifecycle management
* Comprehensive test suite with 272+ tests
## Installation
Add `ex_utcp` to your list of dependencies in `mix.exs`:
```elixir
def deps do
[
{:ex_utcp, "~> 0.2.0"}
]
end
```
## Getting Started
### Basic Usage
```elixir
alias ExUtcp.{Client, Config}
# Create a client configuration
config = Config.new(providers_file_path: "providers.json")
# Start a UTCP client
{:ok, client} = Client.start_link(config)
# Search for tools
{:ok, tools} = Client.search_tools(client, "", 10)
# Call a tool
{:ok, result} = Client.call_tool(client, "provider.tool_name", %{"arg" => "value"})
```
### Programmatic Provider Registration
```elixir
alias ExUtcp.{Client, Config, Providers}
# Create a client
config = Config.new()
{:ok, client} = Client.start_link(config)
# Create an HTTP provider
provider = Providers.new_http_provider([
name: "my_api",
url: "https://api.example.com/tools",
http_method: "POST"
])
# Register the provider
{:ok, tools} = Client.register_tool_provider(client, provider)
# Call a discovered tool
{:ok, result} = Client.call_tool(client, "my_api.echo", %{"message" => "Hello!"})
```
### CLI Provider Example
```elixir
alias ExUtcp.{Client, Config, Providers}
# Create a client
config = Config.new()
{:ok, client} = Client.start_link(config)
# Create a CLI provider
provider = Providers.new_cli_provider([
name: "my_script",
command_name: "python my_script.py",
working_dir: "/path/to/script"
])
# Register the provider
{:ok, tools} = Client.register_tool_provider(client, provider)
# Call a tool
{:ok, result} = Client.call_tool(client, "my_script.greet", %{"name" => "World"})
```
## Configuration
### Provider Configuration File
Create a `providers.json` file to define your providers:
```json
{
"providers": [
{
"name": "http_api",
"type": "http",
"http_method": "POST",
"url": "https://api.example.com/tools",
"content_type": "application/json",
"headers": {
"User-Agent": "ExUtcp/0.2.0"
},
"auth": {
"type": "api_key",
"api_key": "${API_KEY}",
"location": "header",
"var_name": "Authorization"
}
},
{
"name": "cli_tool",
"type": "cli",
"command_name": "python my_tool.py",
"working_dir": "/opt/tools",
"env_vars": {
"PYTHONPATH": "/opt/tools"
}
}
]
}
```
### Variable Substitution
UTCP supports variable substitution using `${VAR}` or `$VAR` syntax:
```elixir
# Load variables from .env file
{:ok, env_vars} = Config.load_from_env_file(".env")
config = Config.new(
variables: env_vars,
providers_file_path: "providers.json"
)
```
## OpenAPI Converter
The OpenAPI Converter automatically discovers and converts OpenAPI specifications into UTCP tools.
### Basic Usage
```elixir
alias ExUtcp.{Client, Config}
# Create a client
{:ok, client} = Client.start_link(%{providers_file_path: nil, variables: %{}})
# Convert OpenAPI spec from URL
{:ok, tools} = Client.convert_openapi(client, "https://api.example.com/openapi.json")
# Convert OpenAPI spec from file
{:ok, tools} = Client.convert_openapi(client, "path/to/spec.yaml")
# Convert with options
{:ok, tools} = Client.convert_openapi(client, spec, %{
prefix: "my_api",
auth: %{type: "api_key", api_key: "Bearer ${API_KEY}"}
})
```
### Supported Formats
- OpenAPI 2.0 (Swagger)
- OpenAPI 3.0
- JSON and YAML specifications
- URL and file-based specifications
### Authentication Mapping
The converter automatically maps OpenAPI security schemes to UTCP authentication:
- API Key authentication
- HTTP Basic authentication
- HTTP Bearer authentication
- OAuth2 flows
- OpenID Connect
## Architecture
The library is organized into several main components:
* ExUtcp.Client - Main client interface
* ExUtcp.Config - Configuration management
* ExUtcp.Providers - Provider implementations for different protocols
* ExUtcp.Transports - Transport layer implementations
* ExUtcp.Tools - Tool definitions and management
* ExUtcp.Repository - Tool and provider storage
* ExUtcp.OpenApiConverter - OpenAPI specification conversion
## Implementation Status
### Gap Analysis: UTCP Implementations Comparison
| Feature Category | Python UTCP | Go UTCP | Elixir UTCP | Elixir Coverage |
|------------------|-------------|---------|-------------|-----------------|
| **Core Architecture** | | | | |
| Core Client | Complete | Complete | Complete | 100% |
| Configuration | Complete | Complete | Enhanced | 100% |
| Variable Substitution | Complete | Complete | Complete | 100% |
| **Transports** | | | | |
| HTTP/HTTPS | Complete | Complete | Complete | 100% |
| CLI | Complete | Complete | Complete | 100% |
| WebSocket | Complete | Complete | Complete | 100% |
| gRPC | Complete | Complete | Complete | 100% |
| GraphQL | Complete | Complete | Complete | 100% |
| MCP | Complete | Complete | Complete | 100% |
| SSE | Complete | Complete | Complete | 100% |
| Streamable HTTP | Complete | Complete | Complete | 100% |
| TCP/UDP | Complete | Complete | Not Implemented | 0% |
| WebRTC | Complete | Complete | Not Implemented | 0% |
| **Authentication** | | | | |
| API Key | Complete | Complete | Complete | 100% |
| Basic Auth | Complete | Complete | Complete | 100% |
| OAuth2 | Complete | Complete | Complete | 100% |
| **Advanced Features** | | | | |
| Streaming | Complete | Complete | Complete | 100% |
| Connection Pooling | Complete | Complete | Complete | 100% |
| Error Recovery | Complete | Complete | Complete | 100% |
| OpenAPI Converter | Complete | Complete | Complete | 100% |
| Tool Discovery | Complete | Complete | Complete | 100% |
| Search | Advanced | Advanced | Basic | 60% |
| **Testing** | | | | |
| Unit Tests | Complete | Complete | Complete | 100% |
| Integration Tests | Complete | Complete | Complete | 100% |
| Mock Testing | Complete | Complete | Complete | 100% |
| Test Coverage | High | High | High | 100% |
| **Performance** | | | | |
| Connection Management | Optimized | Optimized | Optimized | 100% |
| Memory Usage | Optimized | Optimized | Optimized | 100% |
| Throughput | High | High | High | 100% |
| **Documentation** | | | | |
| API Docs | Complete | Complete | Complete | 100% |
| Examples | Complete | Complete | Complete | 100% |
| Guides | Complete | Complete | Complete | 100% |
### Priority Recommendations
#### High Priority
- [x] OpenAPI Converter: Automatic API discovery and tool generation
- [ ] Advanced Search: Sophisticated search algorithms
- [ ] TCP/UDP Transport: Low-level network protocols
#### Medium Priority
- [ ] Monitoring: Metrics and health checks
- [ ] Batch Operations: Multiple tool calls
- [ ] WebRTC Transport: Peer-to-peer communication
#### Low Priority
- [ ] Custom Variable Loaders: Beyond .env files
- [ ] API Documentation Generation
### Implementation Status
#### Completed Features
- 6 transports: HTTP, CLI, WebSocket, gRPC, GraphQL, MCP
- Streaming support across all transports
- OpenAPI Converter: Automatic API discovery and tool generation
- Authentication: API Key, Basic, OAuth2
- Connection pooling and lifecycle management
- Error recovery with retry logic
- 272+ tests with comprehensive coverage
- Production examples for all transports
#### Missing Features
- Advanced Search: Sophisticated search algorithms
- TCP/UDP Transport: Low-level network protocols
- WebRTC Transport: Peer-to-peer communication
- Monitoring: Metrics and health checks
- Batch Operations: Multiple tool calls
### Roadmap
#### Phase 1: Core Transports (Completed)
- [x] HTTP/HTTPS, CLI, WebSocket, gRPC, GraphQL, MCP
#### Phase 2: Enhanced Features
- [x] OpenAPI Converter
- [ ] Advanced Search
- [ ] Monitoring and Metrics
#### Phase 3: Extended Protocols
- [ ] TCP/UDP Transport
- [ ] WebRTC Transport
#### Phase 4: Enterprise Features
- [ ] Batch Operations
- [ ] Custom Variable Loaders
- [ ] API Documentation Generation
## Supported Transports
### Implemented
- HTTP/HTTPS: REST API integration with [OpenAPI](https://swagger.io/specification/) support
- CLI: Command-line tool integration
- [WebSocket](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6455): Real-time communication
- [gRPC](https://grpc.io/): High-performance RPC calls with [Protocol Buffers](https://developers.google.com/protocol-buffers)
- [GraphQL](https://graphql.org/): GraphQL API integration with HTTP/HTTPS
- [MCP](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/): Model Context Protocol integration with [JSON-RPC 2.0](https://www.jsonrpc.org/specification)
### Planned
- TCP/UDP: Low-level network protocols
- WebRTC: Peer-to-peer communication
## Examples
See `examples/` directory:
- `http_client.exs` - HTTP provider
- `cli_client.exs` - CLI provider
- `websocket_client.exs` - WebSocket provider
- `grpc_client.exs` - gRPC provider
- `graphql_example.exs` - GraphQL provider
- `mcp_example.exs` - MCP provider
- `streaming_examples.exs` - Streaming examples
- `openapi_example.exs` - OpenAPI Converter examples
## Testing
```bash
# All tests
mix test
# Unit tests only
mix test --exclude integration
# Integration tests only
mix test --only integration
```
## Contributing
1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Add tests for new functionality
5. Run the test suite
6. Submit a pull request
## License
MIT License - see [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details.
## Links
- [UTCP Website](https://www.utcp.io/)
- [Go Implementation](https://github.com/universal-tool-calling-protocol/go-utcp)
- [Python Implementation](https://github.com/universal-tool-calling-protocol/python-utcp)
- [Hex Package](https://hex.pm/packages/ex_utcp)
- [HexDocs](https://hexdocs.pm/ex_utcp)