Jabber is a set of protocols expressed in XML, and an extensible framework that allows people and applications to exchange all sorts of information, from simple text messages to being used to extend the backbone of an enterprise data system. Jabber gives you the power to build applications that have identity, presence, and that can take part in conversations.

Programming Jabber offers developers a chance to learn and understand the Jabber technology and protocol from an implementer's point of view. Detailed information of each part of the Jabber protocol is introduced, explained, and discussed in the form of mini-projects, or simple and extended examples. Programming Jabber provides this foundation by:

• Showing you how to install and configure the Jabber server
• Providing a detailed overview of the server architecture and configuration options
• Covering the core Jabber technologies such as XML streams and Jabber identifiers
• Referencing all of Jabber's XML namespaces
• Examining the client registration and authentication phases
• Showing how to deploy your own Jabber-based messaging solutions
• Demonstrating how to embed XML-RPC-style call mechanisms into Jabber

Programming Jabber is divided into two parts. The first part serves as an introduction to Jabber; you'll learn about its features, why it's more than an IM system, and how to install and configure a Jabber server of your own. The second part provides detailed information about the Jabber protocol, and a series of practical examples, which can be used to solve everyday problems. The examples, in Perl, Python, and Java, use various Jabber features as a way of illustrating parts of the protocol.

Programming Jabber provides the foundation and framework for developers to hit the ground running, and is the essential book on Jabber.