Starlink is an open-source software framework that supports the execution of high-level protocol specifications in order to achieve middleware behaviour on demand, i.e., it removes the need to implement middleware protocols. Existing middleware standards can be quickly modelled and created, and new protocols can be quickly prototyped.

Starlink can also be employed to address interoperability problems caused due to the heterogeneity of middleware protocols, i.e., due to the differences of message format, message content, and message sequence.

The key features of Starlink are:

1. -Interpretation of k-Coloured Automata. Protocols can be modelled as automata, where the colour represents the underlying transport or middleware protocol. These specifications are then interpreted and executed to achieve particular middleware behaviour.
   

2. -Dynamic message parsing and composing. Message Description Languages support the specification of message content; these are interpreted at runtime in order to parse the protocol data or compose a new message in a given protocol.
   

3. -Protocol Bridges. Translations from one protocol to another can be specified using k-Coloured Automaton; these can then be executed in order to produce protocol bridge behaviour on demand.
   

Starlink was originally developed as a collaboration between the School of Computing and Communications, Lancaster University and Labri, University of Bordeaux.

Lancaster University’s contribution to the Starlink project is funded by the EU funded CONNECT Project: Emergent Connectors for Eternal Software Intensive Networked Systems (ICT-2007.8.6, FET Proactive 6: ICT Forever Yours).