JSON-RPC

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JavaScript Object Notation Remote Procedure Call is a lightweight and straightforward protocol designed to allow software applications to communicate with each other over a network, or even within the same system, as if they were calling local functions. It leverages the human-readable and easy-to-parse JSON data format to structure its messages.

At its core, JSON-RPC enables a client application to send a request to a server to execute a specific procedure or method with a given set of parameters. The server then processes this request and sends back a response, also in JSON format, containing the result of the executed procedure or an error message if something went wrong. This request-response pattern is fundamental to its operation.

Key characteristics of JSON-RPC include its transport-agnostic nature, meaning it can be used over various transport layers like HTTP, WebSockets, or TCP/IP. It supports notifications (requests that don’t require a response from the server) and batch requests, where multiple calls can be sent in a single message, potentially improving efficiency. There are two main versions, JSON-RPC 1.0 and the more widely adopted JSON-RPC 2.0, which introduced features like named parameters, standardized error objects, and improved notification handling. 

Its simplicity and reliance on the ubiquitous JSON format make it a popular choice for building APIs and enabling inter-process communication in diverse environments, including microservices architectures and blockchain technologies.

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