Agentic AI Protocols: MCP, ACP & A2A¶

2-Week Nanodegree Module¶

Module Overview¶

This self-paced 2-week module provides comprehensive instruction on building production-ready agent communication systems using the Model Context Protocol (MCP), Agent Communication Protocol (ACP), and Agent-to-Agent (A2A) protocols. Through hands-on tutorials and practical examples, you'll develop skills to create interoperable, distributed agent architectures.

Distributed Agent Systems

Prerequisites¶

Completed Agent Frameworks module
Completed RAG module
Python programming experience (intermediate level)
Basic understanding of HTTP/REST APIs
Familiarity with LLM APIs and JSON-RPC protocols
Experience with virtual environments and package management

Week 1: MCP Fundamentals & Implementation¶

Session 0: Introduction to MCP, ACP, and A2A (Self-Study)¶

Content: Understanding the agent communication ecosystem, M×N integration problem, and protocol overview Materials: Session0_Introduction_to_MCP_ACP_A2A.md Self-Check: 15-question multiple choice quiz covering core concepts

Session 1: Building Your First MCP Server¶

Content: Hands-on creation of weather information MCP server with tools, resources, and prompts Materials: Session1_Basic_MCP_Server.md + Session1_Basic_MCP_Server-solution.md Self-Check: Multiple choice quiz covering MCP server development concepts

Session 2: File System MCP Server¶

Content: Building advanced MCP server with file operations, error handling, and security Materials: Session2_FileSystem_MCP_Server.md + Session2_FileSystem_MCP_Server-solution.md Self-Check: Multiple choice quiz covering file system integration and security

Session 3: LangChain MCP Integration¶

Content: Client development patterns, tool discovery, and framework integration Materials: Session3_LangChain_MCP_Integration.md + Session3_LangChain_MCP_Integration-solution.md Self-Check: Multiple choice quiz covering client integration patterns

Session 4: Production MCP Deployment¶

Content: Containerization, cloud deployment, authentication, and monitoring Materials: Session4_Production_MCP_Deployment.md + Session4_Production_MCP_Deployment-solution.md Self-Check: Multiple choice quiz covering deployment and production concerns

Session 5: Secure MCP Server¶

Content: Authentication strategies, input validation, rate limiting, and security best practices Materials: Session5_Secure_MCP_Server.md + Session5_Secure_MCP_Server-solution.md Self-Check: Multiple choice quiz covering security implementation

Week 2: ACP & A2A Agent Communication¶

Session 6: Agent Communication Protocol (ACP) Fundamentals¶

Content: ACP architecture, local agent discovery, edge deployment, and framework integration Materials: Session6_ACP_Fundamentals.md + Session6_ACP_Fundamentals-solution.md Self-Check: Multiple choice quiz covering ACP concepts and local coordination

Session 7: Agent-to-Agent Communication (A2A)¶

Content: A2A protocol fundamentals, agent discovery, communication patterns, and multi-agent coordination Materials: Session7_Agent_to_Agent_Communication.md + Session7_Agent_to_Agent_Communication-solution.md Self-Check: Multiple choice quiz covering A2A protocol and agent communication

Session 8: Advanced Agent Workflows¶

Content: Complex multi-agent orchestration, workflow patterns, and advanced coordination techniques Materials: Session8_Advanced_Agent_Workflows.md + Session8_Advanced_Agent_Workflows-solution.md Self-Check: Multiple choice quiz covering advanced workflow patterns

Session 9: Production Agent Deployment¶

Content: Deploying distributed agent networks with fault tolerance, scaling, and monitoring Materials: Session9_Production_Agent_Deployment.md + Session9_Production_Agent_Deployment-solution.md Self-Check: Multiple choice quiz covering production deployment strategies

Capstone Project: Distributed Agent Ecosystem¶

Project Overview: Build a comprehensive multi-agent system demonstrating MCP, ACP, and A2A integration

Requirements¶

Implement local agent coordination using ACP
Create MCP servers for data access and tool integration
Enable A2A communication for cross-platform collaboration
Deploy to production environment with monitoring

Deliverables¶

Complete source code with documentation
Working deployment with monitoring dashboard
Architecture documentation and API specifications

Comprehensive Resource Library¶

Core Documentation¶

Video Tutorials¶

Hands-on Tutorials¶

Advanced Reading¶

Code Repositories¶

Learning Outcomes¶

By completion, students will be able to:

Technical Skills¶

Design and implement MCP servers with tools, resources, and prompts
Create MCP clients that integrate with multiple servers
Implement ACP coordination for local agent orchestration
Enable A2A protocol for cross-platform agent communication
Deploy distributed agent systems to cloud and edge platforms
Secure agent communications with authentication and validation

Architectural Understanding¶

Differentiate between MCP, ACP, and A2A use cases and environments
Design interoperable agent ecosystems for cloud and edge deployment
Implement proper separation of concerns between protocols and agents
Plan for scalability and fault tolerance in distributed and offline systems

Industry Readiness¶

Follow protocol specifications and best practices
Debug multi-agent communication issues
Monitor and maintain production agent systems
Evaluate trade-offs between different architectural approaches

Self-Assessment Structure¶

Knowledge Checks¶

Each session includes multiple choice quizzes to verify understanding of key concepts:

Session 0: 15 questions covering MCP, ACP, and A2A fundamentals
Sessions 1-9: 8-12 questions per session covering specific implementation topics
Capstone Project: Self-evaluation checklist for project completeness

Practical Validation¶

Code Examples: Each session provides working code examples with solutions
Hands-on Tutorials: Step-by-step implementation guides for all major concepts
Self-Check Activities: Verify your implementations work as expected

Progress Tracking¶

Complete all session materials and quizzes to demonstrate mastery
Successfully implement and test all code examples
Build and deploy the capstone project following provided specifications

Development Environment Setup¶

Required Software¶

# Python environment
python3.11+
pip install fastmcp langchain-mcp-adapters a2a-python-sdk

# Node.js (for TypeScript MCP development)
node18+
npm install @modelcontextprotocol/sdk

# Cloud tools
gcloud CLI
docker

Recommended Tools¶

IDE: VS Code with MCP extension
API Testing: Postman or curl
Monitoring: Prometheus + Grafana
Version Control: Git with GitHub/GitLab

Development Workflow¶

Local Development: Use stdio transport for rapid iteration
Integration Testing: Deploy to local containers
Production Deployment: Cloud platforms with proper monitoring

Completion Requirements¶

To successfully complete this nanodegree module:

Study all session materials (Sessions 0-9)
Complete all multiple choice quizzes with satisfactory scores
Successfully implement all code examples and tutorials
Build and deploy the capstone project demonstrating integration of all three technologies

Completion Recognition: "MCP, ACP & A2A Nanodegree Module Certificate"

Self-Study Support¶

Available Resources¶

Comprehensive Documentation: Each session includes detailed explanations and examples
Solution Code: Complete implementations provided for all exercises
External References: Curated links to official documentation and tutorials
Community Resources: Links to relevant GitHub repositories and developer communities

Learning Path¶

Week 1: Master MCP fundamentals through hands-on server and client development
Week 2: Explore ACP coordination patterns and A2A protocol implementation
Capstone: Integrate all technologies in a production-ready distributed system

This module provides comprehensive, self-paced instruction on the cutting-edge protocols shaping the future of agentic AI systems. You'll gain practical experience building interoperable agent architectures that work in cloud, edge, and offline environments.