The Tool Capability Description Protocol (TCDP) is the foundational layer of the Prometheus Protocol ecosystem. It defines a unified semantic specification that enables any smart tool worldwide—whether a laser cutter, CNC mill, or 3D printer—to declare its existence and capabilities in a single common language.
In traditional manufacturing ecosystems, every device's capability description is fragmented: different manufacturers use different formats, different platforms adopt different interfaces, and different regions follow different standards. TCDP's mission is to eliminate these barriers, allowing every smart device to declare to the world in a unified, verifiable, and searchable way: I am here, I can do this, and here is how you can trust me.
Each device publishes a structured capability declaration via TCDP, covering its manufacturing abilities (processable materials, precision, working area), operational status (online/offline/busy), and interface specifications (API endpoint, protocol version). This declaration is not a static document but continuously updated live data—automatically refreshed when device status changes, ensuring global information accuracy.
TCDP defines a hierarchical semantic schema that describes manufacturing capabilities from coarse-grained ("I can cut metal") to fine-grained ("I can cut steel up to 20mm thick with 0.05mm precision") in progressive levels. The schema supports extension—industry alliances can define their own sub-schemas while maintaining compatibility with the base schema.
Capability declarations must be accompanied by trust credentials: certificates issued by the Prometheus CA, reputation scores, and historical fulfillment records. These credentials ensure that declarations are not empty claims—any node can verify whether another device truly possesses its claimed capabilities and whether it has reliably completed past tasks.
TCDP declarations are expressed in JSON format and include the following mandatory fields:
tool_id — Globally unique device identifiername — Device nametype — Device type classificationcapabilities — Structured capability description (following semantic schema)location — Geographic location (latitude, longitude, and region)interfaces — API endpoint and protocol versiontrust — Trust credentials (certificate issuer, serial number, reputation score)status — Current operational statusupdated — Last update timestampFor a complete TCDP declaration example, see the laser cutter example.