About TCF

TCF (Text Chat Format) is an open specification for structured chat communication. It was born out of the need for a universal, lightweight protocol that works equally well for human messaging, AI agent communication, and mixed environments.

The project started in 2025 when a group of engineers realised that existing chat protocols weren't designed for the emerging world of AI‑mediated communication. TCF provides a clean, minimal foundation that can be extended as needs evolve.

The specification is maintained by a small working group of volunteers passionate about messaging interoperability. We believe that chat protocols should be as open and standardised as email or HTTP.

Working Group