Protocol Overview
[!NOTE] Informative Orientation
This page is an entry surface for reading order and boundary clarification. It does not replace repository-backed schemas, invariants, constitutional source files, or the schema-backed specification pages linked below.
1. Purpose
This page summarizes MPLP at a high level and routes readers toward the canonical specification and reference surfaces.
The Multi-Agent Lifecycle Protocol (MPLP) is a vendor-neutral, schema-first protocol for representing, governing, observing, and auditing AI agent lifecycle workflows.
MPLP defines protocol semantics, protocol object families, profile baselines, invariants, and event structures. Runtime implementations execute workflows; products package those runtimes for specific use cases.
2. Canonical Distinctions
2.1 Protocol vs Runtime vs Product
- Protocol: repository-backed schemas, invariants, profile manifests, and approved governance records
- Runtime: an implementation that realizes the protocol
- Product: a packaged system built on top of one or more runtimes
MPLP is the protocol layer. It is not itself a runtime, framework, hosted service, or product.
2.2 Protocol Objects vs Runtime Concepts
Protocol object families such as Context, Plan, Confirm, Trace, Role, Dialog, Collab, Extension, Core, and Network belong to the schema-backed specification baseline.
Runtime concepts such as PSG, AEL, VSL, drift detection, and runtime glue are implementation-layer concepts. They should not be read as protocol core objects.
2.3 Specification/Reference vs Guides
- Specification / reference surfaces establish the formal reading path
- Guides explain implementation patterns after the specification baseline is clear
2.4 Evaluation vs Adjudication
- Evaluation docs explain conformance, evidence, and test/reference models
- Validation Lab adjudicates evidence against rulesets and publishes determination outputs
3. Canonical-First Reading Path
Use this order when reading MPLP:
- Entry Points Surface roles and authority boundaries.
- Specification Formal reading path into modules, profiles, observability, architecture, and integration.
- Evaluation & Governance Conformance, evidence, Validation Lab reference, and governance-facing evaluation surfaces.
- Guides Runtime, SDK, and example guidance after the specification/reference baseline is clear.
4. Specification Reading Map
For the formal baseline, use these section indexes first:
| Surface | Read First For |
|---|---|
| Modules | Protocol object families and their schema-centered projections |
| Profiles | SA and MAP profile baselines plus linked event surfaces |
| Observability | Event families, observability invariants, and trace/export references |
| Architecture | Layer relationships and structural framing after object/profile reading |
| Integration | L4 event and integration surfaces |
5. Package and Runtime Boundaries
Published package surfaces and runtime guides are downstream of the protocol baseline.
- Use TypeScript SDK Guide and Python SDK Guide for current package-surface guidance.
- Use Runtime Guides for runtime realization patterns.
- Do not infer protocol meaning from package exports or runtime guide examples when the repository-backed specification says otherwise.