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Agent Communication Protocols

Learn how AI agents exchange information and coordinate actions

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Common Communication Patterns

Just as software has design patterns, multi-agent systems have communication patterns—proven solutions to common coordination challenges. Choosing the right pattern depends on your use case, scale, and performance requirements.

Interactive: Pattern Explorer

Explore different agent communication patterns:

Request-Reply

Low Complexity

One agent requests, another responds

Message Flow:
Agent A
→ REQUEST →
Agent B
← INFORM ←
Agent A
Characteristics:
  • •Synchronous or async
  • •One-to-one communication
  • •Clear initiator/responder
  • •Simple to implement
Use Cases:
  • →Query for information
  • →Task delegation
  • →Service calls
Example:

Research agent asks data agent for latest metrics

Pattern Selection Guide

Request-ReplyUse for: Direct queries, simple service calls, one-to-one interactions
Pub-SubUse for: Event-driven systems, decoupled agents, scalable notifications
BroadcastUse for: System-wide alerts, emergency commands, status updates
Contract NetUse for: Task allocation, resource bidding, competitive selection

🎯 Implementation Tips

  • •Start simple: Begin with request-reply, add complexity only when needed
  • •Handle timeouts: All patterns need timeout handling for failed communications
  • •Log all messages: Debugging multi-agent systems requires message tracing
  • •Validate messages: Check schema and content before processing
  • •Plan for scale: Pub-sub and broadcast scale better than point-to-point
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