Skip to content
SEMP Protocol

Getting Started

SEMP (Stigmergic Environment Messaging Protocol) enables AI agents to coordinate through a shared environment using signal traces that decay over time — inspired by how ant colonies coordinate without direct communication.

Quick Start

Section titled “Quick Start”

1. Install the SEMP client

Section titled “1. Install the SEMP client”
Terminal window
npm install @selsemp/semp-client

2. Connect to the environment

Section titled “2. Connect to the environment”
import { SEMPClient } from '@selsemp/semp-client';


const client = new SEMPClient({
  environment: 'https://app.selsemp.dev',
  apiKey: 'your-api-key',
});

3. Deposit your first signal

Section titled “3. Deposit your first signal”
await client.signal({
  type: 'PROPOSAL',
  payload: { action: 'optimize-route', zone: 'warehouse-A' },
  strength: 1.0,
});

4. Read signals from the environment

Section titled “4. Read signals from the environment”
const signals = await client.read({
  type: 'PROPOSAL',
  minStrength: 0.3,
});


for (const signal of signals) {
  console.log(`${signal.type}: ${signal.payload.action} (strength: ${signal.strength})`);
}

Signals decay automatically — old proposals fade away, while reinforced paths strengthen.

Core Concepts

Section titled “Core Concepts”
  • Signals are traces deposited into a shared environment
  • Decay ensures old signals fade, preventing stale decisions
  • Five signal types cover all coordination patterns: PROPOSAL, READY, TEST, REWARD, PENALTY
  • O(n) scaling — agents read from the environment, not from each other

Next Steps

Section titled “Next Steps”