network printer alliance protocol (NPAP)

The Network Printing Alliance Protocol (NPAP) dates back to 1991 and was specified by the Network Printing Alliance (NPA) as a standard protocol for communication between distributed printers and print servers in local area networks.

The NPAP protocol provided a uniform interface and was a set of rules for software developers and printer manufacturers.

Via the NPAP protocol, users were informed about occurring problems as well as about the printer and configuration status. This also included information about open jobs and the installed fonts. The printer protocol is independent of page description languages, printer technology and communication interfaces.