The Agent Client Protocol (ACP) tackles the challenge of interoperability between diverse code editors and AI coding agents. It establishes a standardized communication framework, allowing any editor to seamlessly connect with any agent, thereby unlocking advanced AI-driven code modification capabilities for developers. This protocol targets developers, IDE maintainers, and AI agent creators aiming to build a cohesive ecosystem for AI-assisted software development.

How It Works

ACP defines a common language and data structures for bidirectional communication between code editors and AI agents. It specifies message formats, commands, and responses, ensuring consistent interaction. The protocol is underpinned by a formal JSON Schema and supported by official libraries in Rust and TypeScript, facilitating robust and reliable implementations across various platforms and agent backends. This standardization aims to minimize integration overhead and foster a more interconnected AI coding tool landscape.

Quick Start & Requirements

More information can be found at agentclientprotocol.com.

Highlighted Details

• Broad Integrations: Designed for broad adoption, with existing integrations for editors like Zed and Neovim (via avante.nvim), and support for agents such as Gemini and Claude through SDK adapters.
• Ecosystem Support: Provides official libraries in Rust (agent-client-protocol) and TypeScript (@zed-industries/agent-client-protocol), along with a definitive schema.json for protocol adherence and validation.
• Developer Guidance: Includes example implementations (example_agent.rs, example_client.rs) to aid developers in understanding and adopting the protocol.
• Community-Driven Development: Follows a structured contribution process, encouraging protocol suggestions via discussions and bug reports via issues to ensure well-considered changes.

Maintenance & Community

The project follows a structured process for changes, encouraging bug reports via issues and protocol suggestions through discussions before pull requests are created.

Licensing & Compatibility

The license type is not specified in the provided README.

Limitations & Caveats

The protocol is explicitly stated to be "still under heavy development," indicating potential for design changes and API instability.