# OPC UA ## What is OPC UA? OPC UA, or **Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture**, is a machine-to-machine communication protocol that **allows different industrial machines and systems to share data and communicate with each other.** It was developed as an improvement over its predecessor, OPC Classic, to provide more secure and reliable communication in industrial automation and control systems. OPC UA uses a service-oriented architecture, which means that each service or function has its own defined interface and can be accessed and used independently. This makes it easier to develop and implement complex industrial systems and ensures interoperability between different devices and systems, regardless of the manufacturer or platform. {% embed url="" %} [OPC UA Course](/iiot/iiot-tools/opc-ua/opc-ua-course.md) [Troubleshooting](/iiot/iiot-tools/opc-ua/troubleshooting.md) --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://wiki.codeandcompile.com/iiot/iiot-tools/opc-ua.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.