# Agent Definition Language (ADL) > The standard for trusted AI agents. ADL provides a standardized way to define agent identity, permissions, lifecycle, compliance, and governance in one auditable document. - [Agent Definition Language (ADL)](/index.md) ## spec The complete ADL v0.3.0 specification — defining agent identity, permissions, lifecycle, compliance, and governance in a machine-readable format. - [Agent Definition Language Specification](/spec.md): The complete ADL v0.3.0 specification — defining agent identity, permissions, lifecycle, compliance, and governance in a machine-readable format. ### examples Example ADL documents demonstrating minimal, intermediate, and production-ready agent definitions. - [Examples](/spec/examples.md): Example ADL documents demonstrating minimal, intermediate, and production-ready agent definitions. - [Minimal Example](/spec/examples/minimal.md): The simplest valid ADL document with only the four required fields. - [Production Agent Example](/spec/examples/production.md): A complete production-ready ADL document with identity, permissions, security, and all optional features. - [Agent with Tools Example](/spec/examples/with-tools.md): A calculator agent demonstrating ADL tool definitions with parameters and return types. ## protocol The ADL protocol layer — the normative procedures that give an agent's declarations force. Trust Protocol (counterparty procedures) and Runtime Protocol (runtime-governor procedures). - [Protocol](/protocol.md): The ADL protocol layer — the normative procedures that give an agent's declarations force. Trust Protocol (counterparty procedures) and Runtime Protocol (runtime-governor procedures). ### runtime The Runtime Protocol — normative procedures a runtime governor performs to enforce an agent's declared operational limits during execution. - [Runtime Protocol](/protocol/runtime.md): The Runtime Protocol — normative procedures a runtime governor performs to enforce an agent's declared operational limits during execution. ### trust The Trust Protocol — normative procedures for passport verification, presentation proof, and authorization enforcement in agent-to-agent trust. - [Trust Protocol](/protocol/trust.md): The Trust Protocol — normative procedures for passport verification, presentation proof, and authorization enforcement in agent-to-agent trust. ## patterns Worked deployment patterns that trace real-world agent topologies through the ADL specification end-to-end. - [Patterns](/patterns.md): Worked deployment patterns that trace real-world agent topologies through the ADL specification end-to-end. ### ai-gateway How an AI gateway (Kong AI Gateway, Cloudflare AI Gateway, Portkey, LiteLLM, Databricks Mosaic AI Gateway) mediates an agent's outbound model, tool, and agent-to-agent traffic — custodying the agent's ADL signing key, constructing presentation proofs and delegation links, and enforcing resource and data-classification policy. - [Mediating Agent Egress through an AI Gateway](/patterns/ai-gateway.md): How an AI gateway (Kong AI Gateway, Cloudflare AI Gateway, Portkey, LiteLLM, Databricks Mosaic AI Gateway) mediates an agent's outbound model, tool, and agent-to-agent traffic — custodying the agent's ADL signing key, constructing presentation proofs and delegation links, and enforcing resource and data-classification policy. ### exposing-agents How an organization exposes agents that external humans and peer agents discover and call — the provider (resource-server) side, where every inbound caller authenticates per session or per request rather than once at setup. - [Exposing Agents to External Callers](/patterns/exposing-agents.md): How an organization exposes agents that external humans and peer agents discover and call — the provider (resource-server) side, where every inbound caller authenticates per session or per request rather than once at setup. ### inbound-verification How ADL is verified and enforced on every inbound request at a Policy Enforcement Point (PEP) — a role, not a product — that can live in the agent runtime, an AI-aware gateway, a dedicated ADL verifier, or (incidentally, and not as a default) a generic API gateway. - [Verifying Inbound Callers (the Policy Enforcement Point)](/patterns/inbound-verification.md): How ADL is verified and enforced on every inbound request at a Policy Enforcement Point (PEP) — a role, not a product — that can live in the agent runtime, an AI-aware gateway, a dedicated ADL verifier, or (incidentally, and not as a default) a generic API gateway. ### multi-hop-authorization How ADL composes authentication and authorization across multiple agent hops — human OAuth 2.1, MCP token exchange, ADL passport + presentation proof, and scope composition across boundaries — illustrated with a vacation-booking scenario. - [Multi-Hop Authentication and Authorization](/patterns/multi-hop-authorization.md): How ADL composes authentication and authorization across multiple agent hops — human OAuth 2.1, MCP token exchange, ADL passport + presentation proof, and scope composition across boundaries — illustrated with a vacation-booking scenario. ## profiles ADL Profiles extend the core specification with domain-specific requirements for regulated industries. - [Profiles](/profiles.md): ADL Profiles extend the core specification with domain-specific requirements for regulated industries. ### financial - [Financial Profile Examples](/profiles/financial/1.0/examples.md): Example ADL documents using the Financial Profile across banking and brokerage compliance and AML controls. - [Financial Profile Compatibility](/profiles/financial/compatibility.md): Compatibility matrix between Financial Profile and ADL specification versions. - [Financial Profile](/profiles/financial/overview.md): The Financial Profile extends ADL for financial services with PCI-DSS, SOX, GLBA, and MiFID II compliance. - [Financial Profile Specification](/profiles/financial/specification.md): Full specification for the ADL Financial Profile including PCI-DSS, SOX, GLBA, MiFID II, and AML/KYC compliance. ### governance - [Governance Profile Examples](/profiles/governance/1.0/examples.md): Example ADL documents using the Governance Profile with conformance tiers. - [Governance Record Specification](/profiles/governance/1.0/governance-record.md): Companion specification defining the governance record schema for operational governance detail stored in agent registries. - [Governance Profile Compatibility](/profiles/governance/compatibility.md): Compatibility matrix between Governance Profile and ADL specification versions. - [Governance Profile](/profiles/governance/overview.md): The Governance Profile extends ADL for regulated enterprise environments with compliance tracking and audit trails. - [Governance Profile Specification](/profiles/governance/specification.md): Full specification for the ADL Governance Profile including compliance frameworks, AI governance, and audit trails. ### healthcare - [Healthcare Profile Examples](/profiles/healthcare/1.0/examples.md): Example ADL document using the Healthcare Profile for HIPAA compliance and clinical safety. - [Healthcare Profile Compatibility](/profiles/healthcare/compatibility.md): Compatibility matrix between Healthcare Profile and ADL specification versions. - [Healthcare Profile](/profiles/healthcare/overview.md): The Healthcare Profile extends ADL for healthcare environments with HIPAA compliance, PHI handling, and clinical safety controls. - [Healthcare Profile Specification](/profiles/healthcare/specification.md): Full specification for the ADL Healthcare Profile including HIPAA compliance, PHI handling, clinical safety, and FHIR interoperability. ### portfolio - [Portfolio Profile Examples](/profiles/portfolio/1.0/examples.md): Example ADL document using the Portfolio Profile for agent relationships and domain membership. - [Portfolio Profile Compatibility](/profiles/portfolio/compatibility.md): Compatibility matrix between Portfolio Profile and ADL specification versions. - [Portfolio Profile](/profiles/portfolio/overview.md): The Portfolio Profile extends ADL with agent relationships and domain membership for managing agent portfolios at scale. - [Portfolio Profile Specification](/profiles/portfolio/specification.md): Full specification for the ADL Portfolio Profile including agent relationships and domain membership. ### registry - [Registry Profile Examples](/profiles/registry/1.0/examples.md): Example ADL document using the Registry Profile for agent catalog and federation. - [Registry Profile Compatibility](/profiles/registry/compatibility.md): Compatibility matrix between Registry Profile and ADL specification versions. - [Registry Profile](/profiles/registry/overview.md): The Registry Profile extends ADL with agent catalog identity, classification, and multi-registry federation capabilities. - [Registry Profile Specification](/profiles/registry/specification.md): Full specification for the ADL Registry Profile including agent catalog identity, classification, and federation. ## standardization ### roadmap ADL's path toward becoming a recognized industry standard. - [Standardization](/standardization/roadmap.md): ADL's path toward becoming a recognized industry standard. ## comparisons How the Agent Definition Language (ADL) compares to and complements A2A, MCP, AGNTCY, and Agent Spec — agent identity and governance vs communication and tools. - [ADL vs A2A, MCP, and Other Agent Standards](/comparisons.md): How the Agent Definition Language (ADL) compares to and complements A2A, MCP, AGNTCY, and Agent Spec — agent identity and governance vs communication and tools. ### adl-vs-a2a ADL vs A2A — how the Agent Definition Language (agent identity, permissions, and governance) compares to and complements Google's A2A protocol and Agent Cards. - [ADL vs A2A (Agent2Agent)](/comparisons/adl-vs-a2a.md): ADL vs A2A — how the Agent Definition Language (agent identity, permissions, and governance) compares to and complements Google's A2A protocol and Agent Cards. ### adl-vs-mcp ADL vs MCP — how the Agent Definition Language (agent identity, permissions, and governance) compares to and complements Anthropic's Model Context Protocol for tools and context. - [ADL vs MCP (Model Context Protocol)](/comparisons/adl-vs-mcp.md): ADL vs MCP — how the Agent Definition Language (agent identity, permissions, and governance) compares to and complements Anthropic's Model Context Protocol for tools and context. ## contributing How to contribute to the ADL specification, examples, profiles, and implementations. - [Contributing](/contributing.md): How to contribute to the ADL specification, examples, profiles, and implementations. ## demo ADL solves a fundamental problem in multi-agent systems: how does one agent learn what another agent can do, and whether it should be trusted? - [Passport Discovery](/demo.md): ADL solves a fundamental problem in multi-agent systems: how does one agent learn what another agent can do, and whether it should be trusted? ## governance Governance model for the ADL specification project including roles and decision-making processes. - [Governance](/governance.md): Governance model for the ADL specification project including roles and decision-making processes. ## implementations Tools, libraries, and platforms that implement or consume ADL documents. - [Implementations](/implementations.md): Tools, libraries, and platforms that implement or consume ADL documents. ## search Agent Definition Language (ADL) — the open standard for defining AI agent identity, permissions, lifecycle, and compliance in one auditable, machine-readable document. - [Search the documentation](/search.md): Agent Definition Language (ADL) — the open standard for defining AI agent identity, permissions, lifecycle, and compliance in one auditable, machine-readable document. ## Optional - [OKF Knowledge Bundle](/okf/index.md): Open Knowledge Format (OKF v0.1) bundle: the ADL spec, protocol, profiles, patterns, and examples as agent-readable markdown. - [OKF — Specification](/okf/spec/index.md): The normative ADL specification as OKF concept pages, one per section. - [OKF — Trust & Runtime Protocol](/okf/protocol/index.md): The ADL trust and runtime protocol documents as OKF concept pages. - [OKF — Profiles](/okf/profiles/index.md): ADL domain profiles (governance, financial, healthcare, and more) as OKF concept pages. - [OKF — Patterns](/okf/patterns/index.md): ADL deployment patterns as OKF concept pages. - [OKF — Examples](/okf/examples/index.md): Worked ADL example documents with full YAML inlined, as OKF concept pages.