SAMP, the Simple Application Messaging Protocol: Letting applications talk to each other

TL;DR

SAMP is a hub-based communication protocol designed for seamless data and control exchange among astronomical applications, facilitating cooperation and integration within the Virtual Observatory ecosystem.

Contribution

The paper introduces SAMP, a standardized messaging protocol that enables diverse applications to communicate effectively, promoting interoperability in astronomical data analysis.

Findings

SAMP is widely adopted by astronomical applications.

The protocol supports flexible communication patterns.

SAMP has facilitated collaborative data analysis.

Abstract

SAMP, the Simple Application Messaging Protocol, is a hub-based communication standard for the exchange of data and control between participating client applications. It has been developed within the context of the Virtual Observatory with the aim of enabling specialised data analysis tools to cooperate as a loosely integrated suite, and is now in use by many and varied desktop and web-based applications dealing with astronomical data. This paper reviews the requirements and design principles that led to SAMP's specification, provides a high-level description of the protocol, and discusses some of its common and possible future usage patterns, with particular attention to those factors that have aided its success in practice.