Generic Attribute Profile (GATT) Overview

The Generic Attribute Profile (GATT) establishes how data will be organized and exchanged over a Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) connection.

Certain use-case-specific profiles (GATT-Based Profiles) are standardized by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG):

  • Heart Rate Profile
  • Proximity Profile
  • etc.


GATT uses the Attribute Protocol (ATT) as a transport mechanism, as well as a means of organizing your data into easily transmitted bits or attributes.

GATT defines these and other fundamental operations in a standard, universally understood manner. It's important to understand GATT, since most BLE implementations provide GATT APIs for applications wishing to use this functionality.

ble-stack-gatt.png


Key aspects of GATT include:

GATT Example

The following depicts a GATT Server having two services (one public, one private), with a GATT Client executing several GATT operations to read/write the data (characteristics) in those services.

gatt-example.png
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