Add UCI chess engine support #5

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opened 2025-10-14 15:33:20 -06:00 by navan · 0 comments

navan commented

2025-10-14 15:33:20 -06:00

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Originally created by @navanchauhan on 9/15/2025

Summary

Implement Universal Chess Interface (UCI) support so the Swift engine can plug into popular chess GUIs.

Goals

Provide a compliant UCI command loop that mediates between GUI clients and the engine.
Teach the search layer to respect UCI time controls, depth limits, and reporting requirements.
Expose configurable UCI options while keeping the engine thread-safe.

Plan

Protocol Analysis
- Review the latest UCI specification and document mandatory/optional commands.
- Define a Swift-friendly message model for uci, isready, position, go, stop, quit, etc.
Engine Core Integration
- Translate UCI position commands (FEN + move list) into engine state.
- Ensure the search exposes principal variation, scores, nodes, and timing data.
Command Dispatcher
- Implement an async command loop that parses stdin, dispatches handlers, and serializes responses.
- Maintain concurrency-safe shared state for ongoing searches and pending commands.
Option Management
- Add configurable UCI options (e.g., Hash, Threads, Contempt, Ponder).
- Validate and apply updates at runtime, falling back to defaults when invalid.
Search Loop & Timing
- Honor go parameters (time controls, movestogo, depth, nodes, mate, infinite).
- Implement stop, ponderhit, and ucinewgame semantics cleanly.
Output Formatting
- Emit spec-compliant info lines (depth, seldepth, score, nodes, nps, pv, hashfull).
- Respond with bestmove (and optional ponder) when searches conclude.

Testing

Create integration harnesses that replay known UCI command transcripts.
Exercise the protocol against reference GUIs (e.g., CuteChess headless) in CI.
Add regression tests to verify timing accuracy and option handling.

*Originally created by @navanchauhan on 9/15/2025* ## Summary Implement Universal Chess Interface (UCI) support so the Swift engine can plug into popular chess GUIs. ## Goals - Provide a compliant UCI command loop that mediates between GUI clients and the engine. - Teach the search layer to respect UCI time controls, depth limits, and reporting requirements. - Expose configurable UCI options while keeping the engine thread-safe. ## Plan 1. **Protocol Analysis** - Review the latest UCI specification and document mandatory/optional commands. - Define a Swift-friendly message model for `uci`, `isready`, `position`, `go`, `stop`, `quit`, etc. 2. **Engine Core Integration** - Translate UCI `position` commands (FEN + move list) into engine state. - Ensure the search exposes principal variation, scores, nodes, and timing data. 3. **Command Dispatcher** - Implement an async command loop that parses stdin, dispatches handlers, and serializes responses. - Maintain concurrency-safe shared state for ongoing searches and pending commands. 4. **Option Management** - Add configurable UCI options (e.g., `Hash`, `Threads`, `Contempt`, `Ponder`). - Validate and apply updates at runtime, falling back to defaults when invalid. 5. **Search Loop & Timing** - Honor `go` parameters (time controls, movestogo, depth, nodes, mate, infinite). - Implement `stop`, `ponderhit`, and `ucinewgame` semantics cleanly. 6. **Output Formatting** - Emit spec-compliant `info` lines (depth, seldepth, score, nodes, nps, pv, hashfull). - Respond with `bestmove` (and optional `ponder`) when searches conclude. ## Testing - Create integration harnesses that replay known UCI command transcripts. - Exercise the protocol against reference GUIs (e.g., CuteChess headless) in CI. - Add regression tests to verify timing accuracy and option handling.

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Reference: navan/swift-chess-neo#5

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