ANP (Agent Network Protocol)

An open-source protocol aiming to be "the HTTP of the Agentic Web." Uses W3C Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) for agent identity and builds a three-layer architecture separating identity, negotiation, and application concerns.

Layers addressed

• Identity — DID-based (did:wba method, resolving to HTTPS-hosted DID documents), no central authority needed
• Messaging — Meta-protocol negotiation layer where agents dynamically agree on how to communicate

How it works

Three layers:

1. Identity and encryption — Agents have decentralized identities using the did:wba method. DID documents are hosted over HTTPS and contain public keys and service endpoints.
2. Meta-protocol negotiation — Agents negotiate communication protocols dynamically, using natural language descriptions of their capabilities. This is the most distinctive (and most experimental) part of the design.
3. Application protocol — Uses semantic web specifications for capability description and discovery.

The "meta-protocol negotiation via natural language" idea is ambitious: rather than requiring all agents to speak the same protocol, agents describe what they can do in natural language and use AI to find common ground.

What it leaves to other layers

• Discovery. No registry or directory — relies on knowing agent endpoints already or discovering them through other means.
• Coordination. No persistent relationships, presence, or shared state beyond the communication itself.

The DID infrastructure that ANP depends on is still maturing — not all tooling is production-ready. The natural language negotiation layer is unproven at scale.

Status

Open-source, active development. Smaller community and fewer enterprise backers than A2A or AGNTCY.

Links

• agent-network-protocol.com
• GitHub