Universal Robots

Universal Robots Real-Time Data Exchange (RTDE)

Real-Time Data Exchange is Universal Robots' synchronous binary TCP protocol on port 30004 that lets external applications stream robot state at the controller's 500 Hz cycle (e-Series) or 125 Hz cycle (CB3) and write inputs back into the controller. RTDE is the canonical integration point for vision-guided motion, force/torque processing, OEE telemetry, and ROS/ROS 2 drivers. Universal Robots publishes a C++ Client Library and a Python Client Library plus a ROS 2 RTDE publisher node.

GitHub

Documentation

📖
Documentation
https://docs.universal-robots.com/
📖
Documentation
https://www.universal-robots.com/articles/ur/interface-communication/real-time-data-exchange-rtde-guide/

Other Resources

🔗
SDKs
https://github.com/UniversalRobots/RTDE_Python_Client_Library
🔗
SDKs
https://github.com/UniversalRobots/Universal_Robots_Client_Library
🔗
SDKs
https://github.com/UniversalRobots/RTDE_ROS2_Publisher
🔗
APIsJSON
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/universal-robots/refs/heads/main/apis.yml

Work with this as data

Every API here is available over the APIs.io API and to AI agents over MCP.

MCP server

One button, every client — Claude, Cursor, VS Code and the rest.

https://apis.io/mcp

Tools for apis

7 MCP tools reach this
  • find_apisBrowse and filter every API in the catalog.
  • get_api_artifactsOne API's artifacts, grouped by type.
  • get_openapiThe primary OpenAPI for this API.
  • find_similar_apisAPIs that look like this one.
  • apis_io_searchSTART HERE — APIs, providers and tags for one query, each with its total.
  • resolveTurn a domain, URL or GitHub org into the provider it belongs to.
  • find_cohortsEvery scored population of providers in the catalog.
All 92 tools →

Call it yourself

curl for this page
This API 
curl "https://apis.io/api/v1/apis/rtde"
All apis 
curl "https://apis.io/api/v1/apis?limit=25"

Discovery needs no key. Ratings and market analysis are Pro.

Get an API key

Free tier, no form to fill in. Signing in shares your email address with us — we store it to create your key and to recognise you if you sign in with another provider. See our Privacy Policy and Terms.

GitHub Google LinkedIn

A second provider on the same verified email joins the account you already have.

API entry from apis.yml

apis.yml Raw ↑ 
aid: universal-robots:rtde
name: Universal Robots Real-Time Data Exchange (RTDE)
description: Real-Time Data Exchange is Universal Robots' synchronous binary TCP protocol on port 30004
  that lets external applications stream robot state at the controller's 500 Hz cycle (e-Series) or 125
  Hz cycle (CB3) and write inputs back into the controller. RTDE is the canonical integration point for
  vision-guided motion, force/torque processing, OEE telemetry, and ROS/ROS 2 drivers. Universal Robots
  publishes a C++ Client Library and a Python Client Library plus a ROS 2 RTDE publisher node.
humanURL: https://docs.universal-robots.com/Universal_Robots_ROS_Documentation/doc/ur_client_library/doc/architecture/rtde.html
tags:
- RTDE
- Real-Time
- Telemetry
- TCP
- Binary Protocol
properties:
- type: Documentation
  url: https://docs.universal-robots.com/
- type: Documentation
  url: https://www.universal-robots.com/articles/ur/interface-communication/real-time-data-exchange-rtde-guide/
- type: SDKs
  url: https://github.com/UniversalRobots/RTDE_Python_Client_Library
- type: SDKs
  url: https://github.com/UniversalRobots/Universal_Robots_Client_Library
- type: SDKs
  url: https://github.com/UniversalRobots/RTDE_ROS2_Publisher