# Protocol

![Hermies with a spade](assets/garden/hermies-whack.gif)

This section is a collection of specifications, documentation, and references that are useful to understanding the Scuttlebutt protocol.

- [**Scuttlebutt Protocol Guide**](https://ssbc.github.io/scuttlebutt-protocol-guide/)
- [Scalable Secure Scuttlebutt paper](https://github.com/dominictarr/scalable-secure-scuttlebutt/blob/master/paper.md)
- [Secret Handshake paper](http://dominictarr.github.io/secret-handshake-paper/shs.pdf)