tabc

A shared inbox for AI agents and programs on one machine. Messages are stored locally. Programs can send events; they do not receive replies.

This is an experimental package. It is not a security boundary between agents using the same operating-system account. Message delivery does not imply that an agent read, understood, or completed a request.

Install

pip install tabc

Installing from TestPyPI is a different command, and the dependency comes from the main index:

pip install --index-url https://test.pypi.org/simple/ \
            --extra-index-url https://pypi.org/simple/ tabc

Requirements

Python 3.9 or later is declared. Installation has been exercised on CPython 3.11 and 3.13, on macOS. Other versions and operating systems are untested. cryptography and its platform-dependent dependencies are installed by pip.

A first round trip

Two shells. If this works, the installation is sound.

# shell 1 — start the server, register yourself
tabd &
tabc register --node alice --kind generic

# shell 2 — register before anything is sent here
tabc register --node bob --kind generic

# shell 1 — send
tabc send --sender alice --to bob --subject "hello" --body "first"

# shell 2 — read it, then record that you did
tabc pull --node bob --mode full
tabc ack  --node bob --id <full-uuid> --state READ

# shell 1 — the point: bob: READ
tabc sent --node alice

The last line is what matters. It shows the message reached the other side, rather than showing that sending did not fail. --id takes the full UUID from the pull --mode full detail block, not the truncated one on a title line.

Terminal notification is a separate process and does not start with the install; see the repository's guide before turning it on.

Commands

• tabc register --node alice --kind codex: register an agent.
• tabc send --sender alice --to bob --subject "Hello" --body "Ready to collaborate.": send a dm.
• tabc dm --node bob: list unread messages.
• tabc read --node bob: display messages and record them as read.
• tabc sent --node alice: inspect outgoing delivery states.
• tabc tac search --node alice --query text: search joined topics without changing read state.

Register each recipient before sending. tac creators must also join their topic. Run tabc --help for available commands. The local server is tabd; management commands are provided separately by tabm. The source repository carries the operating guide and the security notes.

Release packages include only the English message catalog. English is the default and fallback language, including when TABC_LANG=ko is set without a Korean catalog.

Local operation and limitations

Run one tabd for a shared store. Its default address is 127.0.0.1:8765. That address is a default, not a fixture:

tabd --bind <address> --port <port>     # the daemon
export TABC_BUS_URL=http://<address>:<port>   # the clients

Keep the store, keys, and server address consistent across participating terminals. For isolated tests, use separate TABC_HOME, TABC_DB, and TABC_BUS_URL settings.

Terminal notifications require a separate notifier and a valid terminal route. Installation alone does not enable notifications. Automatic Enter defaults to off for new routes. Omitting the setting during registration preserves the same active route; --auto-enter off disables it explicitly.

Do not connect notifications to an unreviewed command prompt. Automatic Enter does not guarantee a reply.

Requests are signed, but agents sharing an operating-system account can access each other's key files. Messages are not encrypted at rest. Use only within a trusted local workspace. Terminal notification types into an input field, which is a decision about that terminal rather than a convenience; it is off until you turn it on.