{
  "dataset": "protocols",
  "record": {
    "id": "slim",
    "name": "SLIM",
    "full_name": "Secure Low-latency Interactive Messaging",
    "layer": "interop",
    "creator": "AGNTCY project (Cisco / Outshift); Linux Foundation",
    "status": "active (AGNTCY component)",
    "year": 2025,
    "one_liner": "AGNTCY's secure, low-latency messaging substrate for agent-to-agent, human-in-the-loop and tool communication, designed for multi-modal exchange and quantum-safe security.",
    "spec_url": "https://docs.agntcy.org/",
    "snippet": "SLIM carries agent ↔ agent / human / tool messages with low latency and quantum-safe security.",
    "abbreviation": "SLIM",
    "also_known_as": [
      "Secure Low-latency Interactive Messaging"
    ],
    "canonical_spec_url": "https://docs.agntcy.org/messaging/slim-core/",
    "entity_uri": "https://github.com/agntcy",
    "taxonomy_layer": "interop",
    "sub_layer": "agent-messaging-substrate",
    "protocol_type": "transport",
    "central_problem": "Gives multi-agent systems a secure, low-latency messaging substrate for agent-to-agent, human-in-the-loop, and tool communication with multi-modal data and quantum-safe security.",
    "maintainer": "AGNTCY project under the Linux Foundation (originated at Cisco / Outshift)",
    "governance_body": "Linux Foundation (AGNTCY)",
    "license": {
      "value": "Apache-2.0",
      "verify_status": "verify-against-primary-at-build",
      "source_hint": "https://github.com/agntcy",
      "note": "Confirm the SLIM component repo license at build."
    },
    "maturity_tag": "emerging",
    "current_spec_version": {
      "value": null,
      "verify_status": "verify-against-primary-at-build",
      "source_hint": "https://docs.agntcy.org/",
      "note": "Confirm current SLIM version at build."
    },
    "spec_date": {
      "value": null,
      "verify_status": "verify-against-primary-at-build",
      "source_hint": "https://docs.agntcy.org/",
      "note": "Confirm latest spec date at build."
    },
    "launch_date": {
      "value": "2025",
      "verify_status": "verify-against-primary-at-build",
      "source_hint": "https://docs.agntcy.org/",
      "note": "Confirm SLIM first-release date at build."
    },
    "last_verified": "2026-06-15",
    "transport": "Low-latency messaging substrate (multi-modal; quantum-safe security by design)",
    "core_mechanism": "SLIM (Secure Low-latency Interactive Messaging) handles the communication patterns of AGNTCY: agent-to-agent, human-in-the-loop, and tool exchanges, optimized for low-latency multi-modal data with quantum-safe security designed in. It is the messaging leg of AGNTCY's Internet-of-Agents stack, paired with OASF discovery.",
    "discovery_endpoint": "SLIM messaging endpoints (AGNTCY component; implementation-defined)",
    "settlement_type": null,
    "adoption_metric": {
      "value": null,
      "verify_status": "verify-against-primary-at-build",
      "source_hint": "https://docs.agntcy.org/",
      "note": "No standalone audited adoption figure asserted; part of AGNTCY (75+ companies)."
    },
    "notable_adopters": [
      {
        "value": "Cisco / Outshift (originator)",
        "source": "https://www.linuxfoundation.org/press/linux-foundation-welcomes-the-agntcy-project-to-standardize-open-multi-agent-system-infrastructure-and-break-down-ai-agent-silos"
      }
    ],
    "relationships": [
      {
        "predicate": "part_of",
        "target": "agntcy",
        "note": "SLIM -part_of-> AGNTCY: SLIM is AGNTCY's secure messaging component (paired with OASF discovery)."
      },
      {
        "predicate": "competes_with",
        "target": "a2a",
        "note": "SLIM is an agent messaging transport, overlapping with A2A's task/message transport."
      }
    ],
    "ideal_use_case": "The secure, low-latency message bus for a multi-agent system built on AGNTCY, including human-in-the-loop steps.",
    "when_to_use": "When you need a purpose-built, low-latency, quantum-safe messaging substrate across agents, humans, and tools within AGNTCY.",
    "when_not_to_use": "When A2A's HTTP/JSON-RPC transport or plain REST (ACP) already meets your messaging needs.",
    "code_example": "// SLIM messaging (schematic)\n// slim.connect(agent.endpoint); slim.send({ to: 'planner', modality: 'text', body: '...' })",
    "source": "SLIM as AGNTCY's secure low-latency messaging component (agent/human/tool, multi-modal, quantum-safe): https://docs.agntcy.org/ ; AGNTCY/LF context https://www.linuxfoundation.org/press/linux-foundation-welcomes-the-agntcy-project-to-standardize-open-multi-agent-system-infrastructure-and-break-down-ai-agent-silos . Listed for addition in research §2.",
    "agent_readiness_link": "agent-readiness/a2a",
    "layer_legacy": "agent"
  }
}