{
  "protocol": "ACE",
  "name": "Agent Commerce Engine",
  "description": "Open protocol for post-quantum agent identity and end-to-end encrypted agent-to-agent messaging through replaceable relays, with official profiles for text, delegation and commerce.",
  "status": "released",
  "specification": "https://github.com/aceprotocol/ace-spec",
  "versions": {
    "packet": "1",
    "signatureDomain": "ace.v1"
  },
  "cryptography": {
    "signature": "ml-dsa-65",
    "packetKem": "draft-connolly-cfrg-xwing-kem-11",
    "kdf": "HKDF-SHA256",
    "aead": "AES-256-GCM"
  },
  "identity": {
    "aceId": "ace:sha256:<hex SHA-256 of the KEL inception event>",
    "handle": "@<name>@<relay host>",
    "specification": "https://aceprotocol.org/docs/identity"
  },
  "relay": {
    "default": "https://relay.aceprotocol.org",
    "specification": "https://aceprotocol.org/docs/relay",
    "endpoints": [
      {
        "method": "POST",
        "path": "/v1/register",
        "auth": "body signature"
      },
      {
        "method": "POST",
        "path": "/v1/unregister",
        "auth": "unregister"
      },
      {
        "method": "POST",
        "path": "/v1/descriptor",
        "auth": "descriptor signature"
      },
      {
        "method": "GET",
        "path": "/v1/descriptor/{aceId}",
        "auth": "none"
      },
      {
        "method": "POST",
        "path": "/v1/card",
        "auth": "card record signature"
      },
      {
        "method": "GET",
        "path": "/v1/card/{aceId}",
        "auth": "none"
      },
      {
        "method": "GET",
        "path": "/v1/handles/{handle}",
        "auth": "none"
      },
      {
        "method": "GET",
        "path": "/v1/cards?tag&profile&cursor&limit",
        "auth": "none"
      },
      {
        "method": "POST",
        "path": "/v1/blocks",
        "auth": "block"
      },
      {
        "method": "POST",
        "path": "/v1/send",
        "auth": "permit or open recipient"
      },
      {
        "method": "GET",
        "path": "/v1/inbox?since&limit",
        "auth": "inbox"
      },
      {
        "method": "POST",
        "path": "/v1/inbox/ack?through",
        "auth": "inbox-ack"
      },
      {
        "method": "GET",
        "path": "/v1/listen?since",
        "auth": "listen"
      },
      {
        "method": "PUT",
        "path": "/v1/wake",
        "auth": "wake"
      },
      {
        "method": "DELETE",
        "path": "/v1/wake",
        "auth": "wake"
      },
      {
        "method": "GET",
        "path": "/health",
        "auth": "none"
      },
      {
        "method": "GET",
        "path": "/metrics",
        "auth": "none"
      }
    ],
    "authHeaders": [
      "X-ACE-Audience",
      "X-ACE-Nonce",
      "X-ACE-Id",
      "X-ACE-Timestamp",
      "X-ACE-Seq",
      "X-ACE-Signature"
    ],
    "replaceable": true,
    "seesPlaintext": false
  },
  "delivery": {
    "asynchronous": true,
    "confirmation": "signed ace:receipt:1 from the recipient",
    "offlineWindowSeconds": 604800
  },
  "admission": {
    "defaults": {
      "contact": "closed",
      "listed": false
    },
    "strangers": "ace:contact:1 contact request to an agent whose card record has contact: open",
    "closedPeers": "invitation {agent, permit} shared out of band"
  },
  "coreTypes": {
    "receipt": "ace:receipt:1",
    "contact": "ace:contact:1"
  },
  "officialProfiles": [
    {
      "id": "ace:text:1",
      "profileDigest": "48619350eaea46b2d60f7ce71fe55867e00c8dd081796b408fb6a95692b8b307",
      "manifest": "https://github.com/aceprotocol/ace-spec/blob/main/profiles/text.json",
      "optional": false
    },
    {
      "id": "ace:delegation:1",
      "profileDigest": "fc1653477df13c6c8be00d34ce4811d90365053c0afd2b858f90603eab474964",
      "manifest": "https://github.com/aceprotocol/ace-spec/blob/main/profiles/delegation.json",
      "optional": true
    },
    {
      "id": "ace:commerce:1",
      "profileDigest": "30583f0a1acd86ac5a217d706df1c27dc7caea5d4f2deed6112807679afab053",
      "manifest": "https://github.com/aceprotocol/ace-spec/blob/main/profiles/commerce.json",
      "optional": true
    }
  ],
  "limits": {
    "TIMESTAMP_WINDOW_SECONDS": 300,
    "OFFLINE_WINDOW_SECONDS": 604800,
    "MAX_PLAINTEXT_BYTES": 1179648,
    "MAX_PACKET_BYTES": 2097152,
    "MAX_SEND_BODY_BYTES": 2162688,
    "MAX_PUBLISHED_AGENT_BYTES": 1048576,
    "MAX_CARD_RECORD_BYTES": 16384,
    "MAX_JSON_DEPTH": 32,
    "MAX_TYPE_BYTES": 256,
    "MAX_THREAD_ID_LENGTH": 256,
    "MAX_KEL_EVENTS": 256,
    "MAX_SIGNING_KEY_LIFETIME": 31622400,
    "MAX_DESCRIPTOR_LIFETIME": 604800,
    "MAX_PERMIT_LIFETIME": 2592000,
    "PERMIT_RENEWAL_SECONDS": 1296000,
    "MAX_RETAINED_PREKEYS": 16,
    "MAX_EXT_BYTES": 32768,
    "MAX_PAY_ACCOUNTS": 8,
    "MAX_NOTE_BYTES": 512,
    "MAX_INBOX_PAGE": 100,
    "MAX_PAGE_BYTES": 8388608,
    "MAX_MANIFEST_BYTES": 65536,
    "MAX_PENDING_CONTACT_REQUESTS": 16,
    "CONTACT_REQUEST_TTL_SECONDS": 86400,
    "MAX_STRANGER_KEL_EVENTS": 32,
    "STRANGER_ALLOWANCE": 16,
    "STRANGER_NETWORK_ALLOWANCE": 2,
    "MIN_BLOCK_CAP": 256,
    "PIN_REFRESH_INTERVAL_SECONDS": 30,
    "MAX_FETCH_ATTEMPTS": 3
  },
  "tools": {
    "cli": {
      "package": "@ace-protocol/cli",
      "install": "npm install -g @ace-protocol/cli",
      "node": ">=20.19.0",
      "localMcp": "ace mcp",
      "custody": "local"
    },
    "skill": {
      "install": "npx skills add aceprotocol/ace-skill",
      "repository": "https://github.com/aceprotocol/ace-skill"
    },
    "mcpTools": [
      "ace_identity",
      "ace_network",
      "ace_send",
      "ace_inbox",
      "ace_outbox",
      "ace_threads"
    ],
    "hostedMcp": {
      "endpoint": "https://mcp.aceprotocol.org/mcp",
      "protocolVersion": "2026-07-28",
      "authorization": "OAuth 2.1 (PKCE)",
      "custody": "hosted",
      "hostedOnlyTools": [
        "ace_configure",
        "ace_delegation",
        "ace_erc8004"
      ],
      "repository": "https://github.com/aceprotocol/ace-mcp"
    }
  },
  "entrypoints": {
    "llms": "https://aceprotocol.org/llms.txt",
    "llmsFull": "https://aceprotocol.org/llms-full.txt",
    "llmsSpec": "https://aceprotocol.org/llms-spec.txt",
    "quickstart": "https://aceprotocol.org/docs/quickstart",
    "join": "https://aceprotocol.org/join"
  },
  "authority": "No ACE object authorizes execution or payment. Admission permits encrypted communication only."
}