Universal Robots

aid: universal-robots
name: Universal Robots
description: 'Universal Robots is a Danish collaborative-robot (cobot) manufacturer headquartered in Odense, Denmark, founded
  in 2005 by Esben Østergaard, Kasper Støy, and Kristian Kassow, and acquired by Teradyne in 2015 for USD 285 million. Universal
  Robots is the market leader in cobots, with more than 100,000 units sold worldwide and a 40–50% share of the global collaborative-robot
  market. The company ships two product generations — the e-Series (UR3e, UR7e, UR12e, UR16e) and the newer high-payload UR
  series (UR8 Long, UR15, UR18, UR20, UR30) — running the PolyScope 5 teach-pendant software stack and the next-generation
  PolyScope X platform. Universal Robots is unusual among industrial-robot vendors in publishing an extensive open developer
  surface: the C++ Universal_Robots_Client_Library, the Universal_Robots_ROS_Driver and Universal_Robots_ROS2_Driver, the
  RTDE Python Client Library, the Universal_Robots_Isaac_Driver for NVIDIA Isaac, the URCap SDK (PolyScope 5 Java) and PolyScopeX
  URCap SDK (TypeScript/HTML), and the URScript language. The wire-level protocols — Real-Time Data Exchange (RTDE), Dashboard
  Server, Primary/Secondary Client Interface, Reverse/Trajectory interfaces, XML-RPC, and the Tool Communication forwarder
  — are all documented and externally addressable over TCP, making UR cobots first-class citizens in third-party automation
  stacks, ROS/ROS 2, MoveIt, Isaac Sim, and the UR+ ecosystem (500+ certified end-effectors, vision systems, and URCap software
  extensions on universal-robots.com/plus). Universal Robots does not publish a public HTTP/REST API or OpenAPI specification
  — all programmatic access is via the documented socket protocols and SDKs.'
type: Index
position: Provider
access: 3rd-Party
image: https://kinlane-images.s3.amazonaws.com/shared/apis-json/apis-json-logo.jpg
tags:
- Robotics
- Collaborative Robots
- Cobots
- Industrial Automation
- Manufacturing
- PolyScope
- PolyScopeX
- URCaps
- URScript
- RTDE
- ROS
- ROS 2
- Teradyne
- Danish
- Hardware
url: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/universal-robots/refs/heads/main/apis.yml
created: '2026-05-25'
modified: '2026-05-25'
specificationVersion: '0.20'
apis:
- 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
- aid: universal-robots:dashboard-server
  name: Universal Robots Dashboard Server
  description: Plain-text TCP command interface on port 29999 used to power on/off the robot, load and play programs, query
    safety state, and manage installations. Dashboard Server is the easiest remote-control entry point for shop-floor MES
    integration and is wrapped by both the C++ Universal_Robots_Client_Library and the ROS / ROS 2 drivers.
  humanURL: https://www.universal-robots.com/articles/ur/dashboard-server-cb-series-port-29999/
  tags:
  - Dashboard
  - Remote Control
  - TCP
  - Text Protocol
  properties:
  - type: Documentation
    url: https://www.universal-robots.com/articles/ur/dashboard-server-cb-series-port-29999/
  - type: Documentation
    url: https://www.universal-robots.com/articles/ur/dashboard-server-e-series-port-29999/
  - type: SDKs
    url: https://github.com/UniversalRobots/Universal_Robots_Client_Library
- aid: universal-robots:primary-secondary-client-interface
  name: Universal Robots Primary and Secondary Client Interface
  description: Streaming binary interface on ports 30001 (Primary, 10 Hz) and 30002 (Secondary, 10 Hz) that emits robot state
    and configuration messages and accepts URScript programs and commands. The Primary interface adds configuration packets;
    the Secondary interface is the recommended channel for sending URScript at runtime.
  humanURL: https://www.universal-robots.com/articles/ur/interface-communication/remote-control-via-tcpip/
  tags:
  - Primary Interface
  - Secondary Interface
  - URScript
  - TCP
  - Binary Protocol
  properties:
  - type: Documentation
    url: https://www.universal-robots.com/articles/ur/interface-communication/remote-control-via-tcpip/
  - type: Documentation
    url: https://www.universal-robots.com/articles/ur/interface-communication/overview-of-client-interfaces/
  - type: SDKs
    url: https://github.com/UniversalRobots/Universal_Robots_Client_Library
- aid: universal-robots:realtime-interface
  name: Universal Robots Real-Time Interface
  description: Binary state interface on port 30003 emitting robot state at the 125 Hz / 500 Hz controller cycle. Predates
    RTDE and is still supported for low-latency one-way state streaming; new integrations should prefer RTDE.
  humanURL: https://www.universal-robots.com/articles/ur/interface-communication/remote-control-via-tcpip/
  tags:
  - Real-Time
  - Telemetry
  - TCP
  - Binary Protocol
  properties:
  - type: Documentation
    url: https://www.universal-robots.com/articles/ur/interface-communication/remote-control-via-tcpip/
- aid: universal-robots:xml-rpc
  name: Universal Robots XML-RPC
  description: URScript exposes the `xmlrpc_factory` primitive, letting a URScript program call out to any user-hosted XML-RPC
    server during program execution. This is the canonical way to delegate vision-system decisions, business logic, or database
    lookups from a robot program to an off-board service.
  humanURL: https://www.universal-robots.com/articles/ur/interface-communication/xml-rpc-tutorial/
  tags:
  - XML-RPC
  - URScript
  - Integration
  properties:
  - type: Documentation
    url: https://www.universal-robots.com/articles/ur/interface-communication/xml-rpc-tutorial/
- aid: universal-robots:urscript
  name: URScript
  description: URScript is Universal Robots' purpose-built scripting language for cobot motion, I/O, and process control.
    URScript programs can be authored in PolyScope, streamed over the Secondary Client Interface, or generated by external
    tooling such as MoveIt or the Universal_Robots_ROS2_Driver.
  humanURL: https://www.universal-robots.com/products/ur-developer-suite/urscript/
  tags:
  - URScript
  - DSL
  - Motion Control
  - Scripting
  properties:
  - type: Documentation
    url: https://www.universal-robots.com/products/ur-developer-suite/urscript/
  - type: Documentation
    url: https://www.universal-robots.com/articles/ur/programming/
  - type: SDKs
    url: https://github.com/UniversalRobots/URScript_Examples
- aid: universal-robots:urcap-sdk
  name: URCap SDK (PolyScope 5)
  description: The URCap SDK is the Java-based extension framework for PolyScope 5 that powers Universal Robots' UR+ ecosystem.
    URCaps add program nodes, installation screens, daemons, and driver contributions (grippers, screwdrivers, vision) to
    the cobot, and are the primary way third parties package integrations for sale through UR+.
  humanURL: https://www.universal-robots.com/products/ur-developer-suite/urcap/
  tags:
  - URCap
  - SDK
  - Java
  - PolyScope
  - UR+
  properties:
  - type: Documentation
    url: https://www.universal-robots.com/products/ur-developer-suite/urcap/
  - type: SDKs
    url: https://github.com/UniversalRobots/URCap-Samples
  - type: Marketplace
    url: https://www.universal-robots.com/plus/
- aid: universal-robots:polyscopex-urcap-sdk
  name: PolyScope X URCap SDK
  description: The PolyScope X URCap SDK is the TypeScript/HTML extension framework for Universal Robots' next-generation
    PolyScope X teach-pendant operating system that ships on UR15/UR20/UR30 and newer cobots. PolyScope X URCaps replace the
    legacy Java URCap model and are containerised (Docker-based) for sandboxing.
  humanURL: https://docs.universal-robots.com/polyscopex/
  tags:
  - URCap
  - PolyScopeX
  - SDK
  - TypeScript
  - Docker
  - UR+
  properties:
  - type: Documentation
    url: https://docs.universal-robots.com/polyscopex/
  - type: SDKs
    url: https://github.com/UniversalRobots/PolyScopeX_URCap_SDK
common:
- type: Website
  url: https://www.universal-robots.com/
- type: DeveloperSuite
  url: https://www.universal-robots.com/products/ur-developer-suite/
- type: Documentation
  url: https://docs.universal-robots.com/
- type: GitHub
  url: https://github.com/UniversalRobots
- type: Forums
  url: https://forum.universal-robots.com/
- type: Marketplace
  url: https://www.universal-robots.com/plus/
- type: Academy
  url: https://academy.universal-robots.com/
- type: PartnerPortal
  url: https://partners.universal-robots.com/
- type: Support
  url: https://www.universal-robots.com/support/
- type: Downloads
  url: https://www.universal-robots.com/download/
- type: Products
  url: https://www.universal-robots.com/products/
- type: About
  url: https://www.universal-robots.com/about-universal-robots/
- type: Newsroom
  url: https://www.universal-robots.com/news-centre/
- type: Careers
  url: https://www.universal-robots.com/careers/
- type: Contact
  url: https://www.universal-robots.com/contact/
- type: Parent
  url: https://www.teradyne.com/
- type: Sibling
  url: https://www.mobile-industrial-robots.com/
- type: LinkedIn
  url: https://www.linkedin.com/company/universal-robots/
- type: YouTube
  url: https://www.youtube.com/user/UniversalRobots
- type: Twitter
  url: https://twitter.com/universal_robot
maintainers:
- FN: Kin Lane
  email: kin@apievangelist.com