What are different terms for “content negotiation” (when not talking about HTTP)?
For example: some (remote or local) services, components, modules,
are negotiating about which protocol to use and/or which content type to exchange.
Service provider
- About the content:
- What I am very good at, is providing apples.
- I am also able to provide bananas, but it takes me more time.
- I am also able to provide oranges, but their quality is not always OK.
- About the protocol:
- I can bring the fruits to you in a plastic bag.
- Alternatively, I can throw it in your direction.
It’s faster, but some fruits may get lost.
Service consumer
- I need some fruits.
- Bananas are OK, but apples would be great!
- I need them now!
- Some may get lost.
Now, after using some negotiation protocol, the provider and the user decide that the optimal solution for them would be: “the provider throws to the consumer some apples”.
I hope you like my example 😉
So, what are better suited terms for what I am looking for?
I would call this process, generically, “negotiation”. That is the best word I know of in industry. I’d call this process a part of the broader protocol handshake and negotiation phase.