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Building an ACP-Compatible Agent Live — Bennet Fenner, Zed
Takeaway
ACP separates coding-agent execution from editor UI through a small session-oriented protocol.
Summary
- Zed’s Agent Client Protocol uses JSON-RPC to connect interchangeable coding agents and editors through a common interface.
- A minimal TypeScript agent begins with file-read and file-edit tools in a standard model/tool loop.
- The adapter implements initialization, session creation, prompting, and cancellation while tracking session IDs and working directories.
- Streaming model text becomes ACP session-update notifications, allowing the same agent to render responses inside Zed.
acpzedcoding-agents
Original description
In this session, we'll be building a coding agent that implements ACP — covering protocol design, session lifecycle management, and handling tool calls. The session ends with a live demo of the finished agent running inside Zed, showing what ACP looks like in practice from both sides of the protocol.