Cadence Protocol: Frictionless Agent Communication

MCP (Model Context Protocol) introduces approval friction: - Every tool call requires user confirmation - Breaks flow for repetitive operations - No priority differentiation - Synchronous approval model 1. **Actions, not Approvals**: High-confidence operations execute immediately 2. **Priority-Based Processing**: Critical actions queue, routine actions execute 3. **Background Execution**: Non-blocking async message handling 4. **Visual Feedback**: Action stream shows what's happening without blocking 5. **Reversible by Default**: All actions can be undone | Level | Name | Behavior | |-------|------|----------| | 1-2 | Low | Queued, batched execution, no notification | | 3-4 | Normal | Queued, executed in order, visual indicator | | 5-6 | High | Immediate execution, notification | | 7+ | Critical | Immediate, blocks until complete, alert | | Aspect | MCP | Cadence Protocol | |--------|-----|------------------| | **Approval** | Every tool call | Trust-based, priority-based | | **Execution** | Synchronous | Async with background threads | | **Batching** | None | Normal priority batches | | **Reversibility** | Not tracked | Built-in undo chain | | **Audit** | Limited | Full action log | | **Visual** | Tool call output | Action stream UI | | **Agent-to-Agent** | Not supported | Native INBOX/OUTBOX | | **Priority** | None | 7 levels | | **Blocking** | Always | Only critical (7+) | | Signal | Low Coherence | High Coherence | |--------|---------------|----------------| | **Error rate** | Many errors, retries | Few errors | | **Action spread** | Jumping between areas | Focused area | | **Decision continuity** | New topics | Continuation | | **User response time** | Quick rejections | Quick approvals | | **Session duration** | Just started (<5min) | Sustained (>30min) |