Glossary
From The Socknet
These terms have specific meanings in the Socknet protocol specification.
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agent
A computer that makes a function call to a Socknet Provider or Socknet Service. The agent represents a particular user or service.
function
A Socknet function is called via HTTP by appending a function's name to a user's Provider URL or a service's API URL.
Example function URL: "http://socknet_provider.com/user2/api/notify_message"
See: Functions
OpenID
OpenID is a protocol that uses URL's as ID's to log users into websites throughout the web. It is also the name of the URL that serves as the user's ID. The URL points to a webpage. A user adds a Provider URL to his OpenID webpage to become a Socknet user.
profile
A webpage used to display information about a user.
entity
user
A human being who has a Socknet profile. This user must add (or have added automatically) a Provider URL to his OpenID so that other users and services may contact him.
A user is represented by an object with an openid field.
Example:
{ openid: "http://my_openid.com/user15"
}
See: Users
provider
- aka Socknet Provider
- aka Socknet Profile Provider
The website that maintains a user's profile. This is the website contacted via the Provider URL.
service
- aka Socknet Service
- aka Socknet Service Website
A website which contacts users' profiles. A service may be fully- or partially-integrated.
A service is represented by an object with a serviceid field.
Example:
{ serviceid: "http://awesome_website.com/serviceid.json"
}
See: Services
fully-integrated service
A service that supports the API. IE, it has the api field in its ServiceID page.
partially-integrated service
A service that has a ServiceID page, but does not have the api field, and so does not suppor the API.
non-integrated service
A website that does not have a ServiceID. Only a service in the sense that "everything has to have a name".
Provider URL
A URL which leads to a user's profile. Functions are called by appending a function name to this URL and calling the resulting URL via HTTP.
Example Provider URL: "http://socknet_provider.com/user2/api/"
Service API
See API URL.
API URL
A URL which serves the same function as a Provider URL for accessing a Service.
See: Services
Function URL
A Function URL is a URL used to call a function via HTTP. It is created by appending a function name to a Provider URL or API URL.
See: Functions
JSON
The data format used to make requests and provide responses in the Socknet protocol.
guid
A structure that represents a User, a Service, or a Message.
message
Text created by a user or service and stored on a provider or service.
A message is represented by an object with a serviceid field or an openid field, and an id field.
Example:
{ openid: "http://my_openid.com/user15",
id: "message14523"
}
Notice that this guid could also represent a user or a service if the id field was ignored.
In addition, a message can be represented by an object with a url field.
See: Messaging
