Network Protocols

Language Server Protocol

The Language Server Protocol (LSP) is an open standard protocol developed by Microsoft that enables communication between code editors or IDEs and language servers, which provide language-specific features like autocomplete, go-to-definition, and error checking. It standardizes how tools interact with programming languages, allowing a single language server to support multiple editors and vice versa. This decouples language intelligence from the editor, making development tools more modular and efficient.

Also known as: LSP, Language Server, Microsoft LSP, Language Server Protocol standard, LSP protocol

🧊Why learn Language Server Protocol?

Developers should learn and use LSP when building or integrating development tools, as it simplifies adding rich language support to editors without writing custom integrations for each language-editor pair. It's essential for creating cross-editor plugins, enhancing productivity with consistent features across different environments, and is widely adopted in modern IDEs like VS Code, IntelliJ, and Vim. Use cases include developing language extensions, improving code analysis tools, or building custom development environments.

See how it ranks →

Compare Language Server Protocol

Language Server Protocol vs Proprietary Apis→Language Server Protocol vs Textmate Grammars→Language Server Protocol vs Custom Integrations→

Learning Resources

Official LSP Specification

VS Code Language Server Extension Guide

Building a Language Server with LSP - YouTube Tutorial

LSP in Practice: A Hands-On Course

Related Tools

Visual Studio Code Intellij Idea Language Servers Json Rpc Development Tools

Alternatives to Language Server Protocol

Proprietary Apis Textmate Grammars Custom Integrations

Other Network Protocols

Acme Protocol is a standardized communication protocol used for automated certificate management, primarily for obtaining and renewing SSL/TLS certificates from certificate authorities (CAs). It enables servers and applications to automatically request, validate, and install certificates without manual intervention, streamlining the process of securing web services with HTTPS. The protocol is widely implemented by CAs and tools like Let's Encrypt to support the ACME (Automated Certificate Management Environment) standard.

ActivityPub is an open, decentralized social networking protocol that enables servers to communicate and share social activities, such as posts, likes, and follows, across different platforms. It is a W3C standard that defines a client-to-server API for creating, updating, and deleting content, as well as a server-to-server API for federated interactions between independent servers. This allows users on different social media platforms to interact seamlessly, fostering interoperability in the fediverse.

ActivityPub is a decentralized social networking protocol that enables different social media platforms to communicate with each other, allowing users to interact across servers. It defines a client-to-server API for creating, updating, and deleting content, and a server-to-server API for federated interactions, forming a federated social web. This protocol underpins federated social media networks like Mastodon, PeerTube, and Pixelfed, facilitating interoperability without central control.

ActivityPub is a decentralized social networking protocol that enables different social platforms to communicate with each other, allowing users to interact across independent servers. It provides a standardized way for servers to exchange social activities like posts, likes, and follows, forming a federated network where no single entity controls the entire system. This protocol underpins many modern federated social networks, promoting interoperability and user autonomy.

AMQP (Advanced Message Queuing Protocol) is an open standard application layer protocol for message-oriented middleware, enabling reliable, secure, and interoperable messaging between applications. It defines a wire-level protocol for message queuing, routing, and delivery, supporting features like publish/subscribe, request/reply, and point-to-point communication. AMQP is widely used in distributed systems, microservices architectures, and enterprise messaging to decouple components and handle asynchronous communication.

BACnet (Building Automation and Control Networks) is a communication protocol designed specifically for building automation and control systems, such as HVAC, lighting, and security. It enables interoperability between devices from different manufacturers by defining standard data objects, services, and network rules. Developed by ASHRAE, it is widely used in commercial and industrial buildings for efficient management and monitoring.