Frequently Asked Questions

Why create another chat protocol?

Existing protocols (XMPP, Matrix, IRC) were designed before AI agents became common. TCF is built from the ground up for human‑AI hybrid communication, with structured tool calls and streaming as first‑class concepts.

How does TCF compare to Matrix?

Matrix is a full federation protocol with room state, DAGs, and complex server‑side logic. TCF is intentionally simpler: just messages with a thin envelope. It's closer to SMTP for chat than a full decentralised platform. TCF messages can be bridged to Matrix rooms.

Is TCF ready for production?

TCF v0.4 is a working draft. Several companies are running internal pilots. We target v1.0 for Q4 2026. The WebSocket transport is the most stable part.

Can I use TCF without E2EE?

Yes. E2EE is completely optional. Many use cases (public rooms, bot integrations) don't require it. The encrypted content type is there when you need it.

What license is TCF under?

The specification is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC‑BY‑4.0). Reference implementations and SDKs are under MIT.

How do I add a custom content type?

Use the x- prefix for private types (e.g., x-myapp.poll). For public types, submit an extension proposal. See the extensions registry.