Editing Agent Communication Protocol

{{Infobox protocol
| name            = Agent Communication Protocol
| developer       = [[wp:IBM|IBM]]/BeeAI → [[wp:Linux Foundation|Linux Foundation]]
| status          = Stable
| first_published = 2025
| transport       = [[wp:HTTP|HTTP]], Local IPC
| encoding        = [[wp:JSON|JSON]]
| license         = [[wp:Apache License|Apache 2.0]]
| repository      = https://github.com/ibm/acp
}}

The '''Agent Communication Protocol''' ('''ACP''') is an open standard for local-first agent coordination with minimal network overhead. Originally developed by [[wp:IBM|IBM]]'s BeeAI project, ACP is now part of the [[wp:Linux Foundation|Linux Foundation]] and focuses on environments where low latency, privacy, and offline operation are critical.

== Overview ==

While protocols like [[Agent-to-Agent Protocol|A2A]] focus on cloud-based agent collaboration, ACP is designed for edge computing and local-first environments. It enables agents to coordinate within a single system or local network without requiring constant internet connectivity.

=== Design philosophy ===

* '''Local-first''' – Optimized for on-device and edge deployments
* '''Low latency''' – Minimal network overhead for real-time coordination
* '''Privacy-preserving''' – Data stays local by default
* '''Offline-capable''' – Full functionality without internet access

== Architecture ==

ACP defines a decentralized agent environment with:

* '''Local discovery''' – Agents find each other via local broadcast or shared registry
* '''Direct messaging''' – Peer-to-peer communication without central routing
* '''State synchronization''' – Coordinated state management across agents

== Use cases ==

ACP is particularly suited for:

* Industrial IoT and edge computing
* Healthcare environments with strict data sovereignty requirements
* Embedded systems and robotics
* Air-gapped or offline deployments

== Comparison with other protocols ==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Aspect !! ACP !! [[Agent-to-Agent Protocol|A2A]] !! [[Model Context Protocol|MCP]]
|-
| Primary focus || Local coordination || Cloud collaboration || Tool integration
|-
| Network requirement || Optional || Required || Required
|-
| Latency || Ultra-low || Variable || Variable
|-
| Privacy || Local by default || Cloud-dependent || Tool-dependent
|}

== See also ==

* [[Agent-to-Agent Protocol]]
* [[Model Context Protocol]]
* [[Agent Network Protocol]]

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* [https://github.com/ibm/acp GitHub repository]

[[Category:Communication Protocols]]
[[Category:Agent Communication]]
[[Category:IBM Specifications]]