: Multi-Agent Distributed System
What is it
MADS-NET is a simple framework for implementing a network of distributed agents that communicate with each other via a broker. It is designed to be lightweight, modular, and easy to use.
It is made by a main set of executables available in the MADS tools collection repo, which also provides installers for Linux, MacOS and Windows.
It is a polyglot environment that can be extended in C++, C, Rust, Python, R, and Lua. It is also possible to interface with other languages via the popen interface.
The target audiences for MADS are distributed measurement systems, IoT, process control systems, and robotics.
Always get the latest MADS installer on: π git.new/MADS π
See this guide for installation instructions.
MADS design principle
The main requirements for MADS are:
- ubiquity: it should run on any platform, from embedded devices to high-end servers, regardless architecture and operating system
- lightweight: it should be possible to run on low-end devices with limited resources
- modularity: it should be possible to add new agents without recompiling the whole system
- easy to use: it should be easy to install and configure, and it should be possible to use it with a minimum API knowledge (less than five functions), using any common programming language
- centralized: configuration and custom code are stored in a single location
What MADS delivers is a framework of tools and libraries that make easy and quick to implement a distributed agents system by completely separating:
- the networking operations: IPs, sockets, connectionsand re-connections: everything is automatic (but customizable if needed)
- the topology of the distributed system: defined in a single settings file (TOML format), and inspectable as a Graphviz dot file
- the business logic of each agent: only focus on the algorithms and the data, without having to care about networking, timings, addressing etc.
Where to start
The software collection
The MADS framework is Open Source (Apache 2.0 license) and is available on GitHub.
Beside the main framework there is a collection of ready to use agents, called plugins, that can be easily integrated into the MADS system and are available on https://github.com/MADS-NET.
The VSCode extension MADSCode provdes useful features that simplify and accelerate custom agents development.
The dcumentation
The Start here page provides a quick overview of the MADS framework and its main features. It is a good starting point for new users.
Look into the guides section for more information on how to use the MADS tools collection, searchable and organized by topics.
The Commands section in the menu bar provides a complete list of the most important commands available in the MADS tools collection.
The Concepts section covers the main concepts behind MADS, including the architecture, the communication model, and the configuration files.
The Presentations section provides a set of interactive, web-based slides that can be used to present MADS to others.