The UCI protocol (UCI = universal chess interface) describes the communication of a chess engine and a chess user interface. The protocol is open and can be used by everyone without license fees. Today almost all modern chess programs support UCI so that you can exchange the chess engine and chess user interface with different programs. UCI makes it possible to plug in every UCI chess engine into every UCI capable chess user interface.

All chess programs here on shredderchess.com support UCI.

The UCI protocol was developed in 2000 by Rudolf Huber and Stefan Meyer-Kahlen. The current specification is available as a free download.