A coordination language for collective agent based systems: GroupLog

Abstract

We describe a language providing concepts for modeling autonomous entities (agents) and cooperating entities (groups). Agents are the execution units of a GroupLog program. Each agent possesses a hidden internal behavior and a well-defined communications interface and its behavior is defined by a set of logical rules. Groups are important to model agent cooperation in a flexible and well-structured manner and to hide low-level management of coordination activities. In the paper we give an informal presentation of the GroupLog language and illustrate its use through an example. © 2000 ACM.