Firebird Butler is a dedicated division under the Firebird Project. Its mission is to develop solutions for challenges faced by Firebird administrators and developers that aren't addressed by the core Firebird distribution.
Firebird Butler is structured into three main layers:
Specifications and Documentation
This shared foundation covers:
- The structure of the division and its components
- Platform specifications and communication protocols
- Recommended practices
- Specifications for selected services
All documents are published under the CC-BY-SA-4.0 license on GitHub and available in HTML and other formats on ReadTheDocs.
- Discussion: Join the firebird-butler Google Group to discuss specifications and implementation strategies.
- Announcements: A low-traffic, read-only mailing list provides updates on releases and major events.
Platform & SDK Implementations
These are the core "pillars" of the division, each focused on a specific language or development environment. Due to limited resources, there are currently three:
- Saturnin – The Python reference implementation with full support: deployment platform, SDK, and core services.
- ButlerJavaSDK – Java implementation.
- Butler SDK for Free Pascal – Pascal implementation.
Each SDK is a separate sub-project with its own repository, documentation, and community channels. We're looking for contributors to help build additional SDKs—for Delphi, C#, and others.
Butler services are implemented as independent sub-projects, often tied to a specific SDK and use case. While core specifications ensure interoperability, each project can define its own extended standards.
Currently, only the Saturnin project provides packaged Butler services. However, additional projects—inside or outside the Firebird Butler division—can be created to offer new features or address different domains.