AgentWorkforce/relay provides a high-performance, real-time messaging layer for AI agents, enabling sub-5ms latency communication between any command-line interface (CLI) tools or programming languages. It targets developers and researchers building complex AI agent systems, offering a flexible foundation for agent orchestration, collaboration, and distributed workflows without imposing a specific framework.

How It Works

The project offers a standalone binary or npm package that functions as a daemon and coordinator. It leverages a publish-subscribe model for message passing, allowing agents to communicate asynchronously. Key features include a web-based dashboard for interactive agent management, role definition via markdown files, and integration capabilities through the Model Context Protocol (MCP) and an SDK. This design prioritizes low latency and broad compatibility, acting as a foundational communication backbone rather than a full-fledged agent framework.

Quick Start & Requirements

• Installation:
  • Recommended (standalone binary, no Node.js): curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/AgentWorkforce/relay/main/install.sh | bash
  • Via npm: npm install -g agent-relay (requires Node.js 18+)
• Running: Execute agent-relay up --dashboard to start the daemon and access the web UI at http://localhost:3888.
• Prerequisites: Node.js 18+ is required for the npm installation method.

Highlighted Details

• Achieves sub-5ms latency for inter-agent communication.
• Supports integration with any CLI tool and programming language.
• Features a dashboard for spawning, monitoring, and interacting with agents.
• Model Context Protocol (MCP) enables native relay tools for agents across various IDEs and CLIs (e.g., Claude, Gemini, VS Code).
• Multi-Project Bridge allows orchestrating agents and messaging across different code repositories.
• Agent Relay Cloud facilitates team collaboration and cross-machine agent communication.

Maintenance & Community

The project is copyrighted by Agent Workforce Incorporated (2026). Links to Documentation, Issues, Cloud services, and a Discord community are provided. Specific details on active contributors, sponsorships, or roadmap are not detailed in the README.

Licensing & Compatibility

The project is licensed under the Apache-2.0 license. This license is permissive and generally compatible with commercial use and linking within closed-source applications.

Limitations & Caveats

The project is explicitly positioned as a messaging layer, not a comprehensive agent framework, meaning users must implement higher-level orchestration logic. Specific details regarding the "Agent Relay Cloud" service, its functionality, or potential costs are not elaborated upon in the README.