Generic Attribute Profile (GATT) Overview

Last modified by Microchip on 2023/11/10 11:16

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.

Attribute Protocol (ATT) as a transport mechanism

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 Server having two services (one public, one private)