Universal Chess Interface

The universal chess interface (UCI) is an open bay communication protocol, which is used by check engines to interact with the graphical user interface (GUI).

It was developed in November 2000 by Rudolf Huber and Stefan Meyer -Kahlen, the author of Shredder and is not compatible with the older and more widespread XBoard protocol. Both protocols can be used without royalties.

After ChessBase had the Universal Chess Interface integrated in 2002 into their software, the protocol was subsequently widely disseminated. A variety of chess programs and GUIs support the UCI, such as Shredder, Fritz, Chess Assistant, Chess Partner and arena.