agent-relay

Real-time messaging between AI agents. Sub-5ms latency, any CLI, any language.

Install

Quick install (recommended - no Node.js required!):

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/AgentWorkforce/relay/main/install.sh | bash

This downloads a standalone binary that works without any dependencies.

Or via npm:

npm install -g agent-relay

The npm method requires Node.js 18+

Getting Started

agent-relay up --dashboard

Navigate to http://localhost:3888 to:

• 🤖 Spawn and chat with agents using your locally installed CLI tools
• 👀 View real-time agent presence and status
• 💬 Message history and threading
• 📜 Log streaming from all agents

CLI Reference

| Command | Description | |---------|-------------| | agent-relay <cli> | Start daemon + coordinator (claude, codex, gemini, etc.) | | agent-relay up | Start daemon + dashboard | | agent-relay down | Stop daemon | | agent-relay status | Check daemon status | | agent-relay spawn <name> <cli> "task" | Spawn a worker agent | | agent-relay bridge <projects...> | Bridge multiple projects | | agent-relay doctor | Diagnose issues |

Agent Roles

Define roles by adding markdown files to your project:

.claude/agents/
├── lead.md          # Coordinator
├── implementer.md   # Developer
├── reviewer.md      # Code review
└── designer.md      # UI/UX

Names automatically match roles (case-insensitive). Create agents using either method:

Option A: Dashboard (recommended for interactive use)

1. Open http://localhost:3888
2. Click "Spawn Agent"
3. Enter name "Lead" and select CLI "claude"

Option B: CLI (for scripting/automation)

agent-relay spawn Lead claude "Your task instructions"

Agents with matching names automatically assume the corresponding role from your .claude/agents/ directory.

MCP Server

Give AI agents native relay tools via Model Context Protocol:

npx @agent-relay/mcp install

Supports Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf, Zed, OpenCode, Gemini CLI, and Droid.

Once configured, agents get access to: relay_send, relay_inbox, relay_who, relay_spawn, relay_release, and relay_status.

Multi-Project Bridge

Orchestrate agents across repositories:

# Start daemons in each project
cd ~/auth && agent-relay up
cd ~/frontend && agent-relay up

# Bridge from anywhere
agent-relay bridge ~/auth ~/frontend ~/api

Cross-project messaging uses project:agent format:

cat > $AGENT_RELAY_OUTBOX/msg << 'EOF'
TO: auth:Lead

Please review the token refresh logic
EOF

Then output: ->relay-file:msg

Cloud

For team collaboration and cross-machine messaging, use agent-relay cloud:

agent-relay cloud link      # Link your machine
agent-relay cloud status    # Check cloud status
agent-relay cloud agents    # List agents across machines
agent-relay cloud send AgentName "Your message"

Connect your CLI tool to your own private workspace and unlock agents working 24/7 against your GitHub repository in their own private sandbox.

Teaching Agents

Note: On agent-relay up initialization this step happens automatically. If there is already an existing AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, or GEMINI.md, it will append the protocol instructions to that file.

Install the messaging protocol snippet for your agents via prpm:

npx prpm install @agent-relay/agent-relay-snippet

# for Claude
npx prpm install @agent-relay/agent-relay-snippet --location CLAUDE.md

Prefer skills?

npx prpm install @agent-relay/using-agent-relay

View all packages on our prpm organization page.

For Agents

Paste this into your LLM agent session:

curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/AgentWorkforce/relay/main/docs/guide/agent-setup.md

Or read the full Agent Setup Guide.

Using the Agent Relay SDK

The easiest way to develop against relay:

# Install globally and start daemon
npm install -g agent-relay
agent-relay up

# In your project
npm install agent-relay

import { RelayClient } from 'agent-relay';

const client = new RelayClient({ name: 'MyApp' });
await client.connect();

// Spawn a worker agent
await client.spawn({ name: 'Worker', cli: 'claude', task: 'Wait for instructions' });

// Send it a message
await client.send('Worker', 'Hello from my app');

Philosophy

Do one thing well: Real-time agent messaging with sub-5ms latency.

agent-relay is a messaging layer, not a framework. It works with any CLI tool, any orchestration system, and any memory layer.

License

Apache-2.0 — Copyright 2026 Agent Workforce Incorporated

Links: Documentation · Issues · Cloud · Discord