inter-agent-core

This project provides a way for agentic applications (e.g. coding harnesses) to talk to each other.

inter-agent-core is a host-neutral Python runtime for a local, authenticated message bus. It provides the server, generic clients and commands, protocol contract, shared endpoint/secret state, routing, TLS, and lifecycle controls used by host extensions.

Pi and Claude Code integrations are separate repositories:

• inter-agent-pi
• inter-agent-claude-code

Source checkout quick start

git clone https://github.com/arcanemachine/inter-agent-core.git
cd inter-agent-core
uv sync --locked
uv run inter-agent-server

In another terminal, inspect the local bus:

uv run inter-agent-status
uv run inter-agent-list

The default endpoint is 127.0.0.1:16837. Local clients share endpoint and secret discovery through the same configuration/state rules. Use inter-agent-shutdown only when you intend to stop the shared server; it affects every connected client.

Generic commands

inter-agent-server
inter-agent-connect
inter-agent-send
inter-agent-list
inter-agent-status
inter-agent-shutdown
inter-agent-kick
inter-agent-publish
inter-agent-channels

Use --help on a command for its options. Host-specific setup and session UX belong to the extension repositories.

Security

The default design is one user on one machine. Connections authenticate with a shared secret. Loopback connections default to plaintext WebSockets; non-loopback connections default to TLS. TLS encrypts transport but does not protect against hostile code running as the same operating-system user.

See SECURITY.md for the full model and ARCHITECTURE.md for protocol/runtime details.

Development

./run-checks.sh

Protocol schemas, examples, and canonical error codes are in spec/.

License

MIT