Antworld

Overview

Antworld is an educational project designed to help students develop autonomous code. Originally implemented in Java, Antworld is now being ported to Golang, with additional features to support client-server communication. The project simulates a world consisting of land, water, food, and ant nests, where students can implement autonomous behaviors for their ants.

Objectives

• Port the original Java client-side code to Golang.
• Develop a server to manage the Antworld environment.
• Implement a messaging protocol similar to Protocol Buffers for communication between the client and server.
• Provide a framework for students to develop and test autonomous ant behavior.

Project Structure

1. Client

The client will simulate ants exploring the world, gathering resources, and interacting with their environment. It will send and receive messages using the defined messaging protocol.

2. Server

The server will maintain the state of the world, including:

• Terrain (land, water, food, nests)
• Ant positions and statuses
• Game rules and mechanics It will process messages from clients and update the world accordingly.

3. Messaging Protocol

To facilitate efficient communication, we will develop a custom messaging protocol that:

• Encodes and decodes structured messages
• Supports essential operations such as movement, resource collection, and interaction with other ants
• Ensures efficient data transmission between client and server

Development Plan

1. Port existing Java client code to Golang
2. Design and implement the server
3. Define and implement the messaging protocol
4. Test communication between client and server
5. Develop and refine autonomous agent behaviors

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Golang (latest version)
• Basic knowledge of networking and protocol design
• Understanding of autonomous agent programming concepts

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/your-repo/antworld.git
   cd antworld

2. Install dependencies:

   go mod tidy

3. Run the server:

   go run server/main.go

4. Run the client:

   go run client/main.go

Contribution

We welcome contributions! If you’d like to help, please:

• Submit bug reports and feature requests via GitHub issues
• Follow our coding guidelines when submitting pull requests
• Participate in discussions about improvements and new features

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Contact

For questions or collaboration inquiries, please reach out to the project maintainers or submit an issue on GitHub.

Happy coding!