# A2A (Agent-to-Agent Protocol)

> A2A is Google's open protocol for agent-to-agent communication and interoperability across AI frameworks.

Source: https://metavert.io/a2a  
Published: 2026-03-16  
Updated: 2026-04-12

Agentic Economy

[View Market Map](https://metavert.io/agentic-market-map)

Layer 2: Creation & Orchestration as A2A

**A2A (Agent-to-Agent Protocol)** is an open protocol developed by Google that enables AI agents built on different frameworks and by different vendors to communicate with each other seamlessly. A2A complements Anthropic's Model Context Protocol (MCP) by focusing on agent-to-agent interoperability rather than tool access.

A2A allows agents to discover each other's capabilities through standardized Agent Cards, negotiate communication modalities (text, forms, files, streams), and collaborate on complex tasks. The protocol supports enterprise-grade security, including authentication via OAuth and enterprise identity providers.

A2A is one of several complementary protocols forming the infrastructure stack of the [Internet of Agents](https://metavert.io/internet-of-agents). MIT's [NANDA Protocol](https://metavert.io/nanda-protocol) bridges A2A, MCP, and Microsoft's NLWeb through a protocol adapter, providing the meta-layer for cross-protocol [agent discovery](https://metavert.io/agent-discovery), [identity verification](https://metavert.io/agent-identity-trust), and decentralized routing. In this architecture, A2A handles direct agent communication, MCP handles tool connections, and NANDA provides the discovery and trust fabric across all of them.

A2A represents a critical piece of the emerging agentic infrastructure, enabling multi-agent workflows where specialized agents can delegate subtasks to one another without requiring shared memory or identical frameworks.

## Related Topics

- [MCP (Model Context Protocol)](https://metavert.io/mcp) — Complementary protocol for agent-tool connections
- [Google ADK](https://metavert.io/google-adk) — Google's Agent Development Kit
- [Agentic AI](https://metavert.io/agentic-ai)
- [Agent Orchestration](https://metavert.io/agent-orchestration)
- [NANDA Protocol](https://metavert.io/nanda-protocol) — Cross-protocol discovery and trust layer
- [Internet of Agents](https://metavert.io/internet-of-agents) — The decentralized agent network A2A enables
- [Agent Discovery](https://metavert.io/agent-discovery) — Finding agents across protocols and registries
- [Agent Identity & Trust](https://metavert.io/agent-identity-trust) — Verifying agent credentials across networks

## Further Reading

[A2A Protocol Specification](https://google.github.io/A2A/)