Extensions

Extensions is the Labs area for proposed MSP-1-compatible structures that may expand what the ecosystem can declare without expanding the minimal core protocol itself.

Extend the Ecosystem, Preserve the Core

MSP-1 is intentionally small. Extensions provide a controlled way to explore additional semantic patterns while keeping the core protocol stable, readable, and broadly implementable.

A good extension should add useful context without creating dependency, enforcement, or protocol bloat.

Extension Principles

Proposed extensions should follow the same discipline as MSP-1 itself: clear scope, conservative claims, graceful degradation, and compatibility with systems that do not recognize the extension.

Extensions should be optional.
Extensions should not redefine core MSP-1 terms.
Extensions should degrade safely when ignored.
Extensions should avoid enforcement or permissions logic.
Extensions should be documented clearly enough for developers and agents to interpret.

Agent Handoff Extension

A proposed structure for declaring task state, intent, context, and interpretive posture when one agent hands work to another agent, model, tool, or workflow stage.

Context Compression Extension

A proposed structure for preserving milestone-level task context so agents can retain meaning, reduce drift, and avoid carrying unnecessary conversational or workflow history.

Media Provenance Extension

A proposed structure for declaring the origin, edit history, AI involvement, or creative lineage of media assets without turning MSP-1 into an enforcement or rights-management system.

Epistemic Scope Extension

A proposed structure for declaring the limits, assumptions, uncertainty, recency, or domain boundaries of a model output, document, dataset, or agent-generated artifact.

Candidate Extension Lifecycle

Extensions should mature gradually. An idea may begin as a concept, move into a draft structure, become testable through experiments, and only later be considered for broader documentation or tooling support.

Identify the semantic gap the extension addresses.
Confirm that the need does not belong in the MSP-1 core.
Define a minimal optional structure.
Test graceful degradation when the extension is ignored.
Evaluate whether the extension improves interpretation or workflow quality.
Document implementation guidance and edge cases.

Not a Shortcut to Core Status

An extension is not a request to make the core protocol larger. Labs extensions exist precisely because many useful ideas should remain optional, scoped, and experimental.

This separation allows MSP-1 to evolve around a stable center rather than absorbing every possible use case into its foundation.

Related Labs Areas

Extension work connects naturally to concepts, experiments, evaluation, and developer guidance.

Concepts for early-stage ideas that may become extension candidates.
Experiments for testing extension behavior and interpretive effects.
Evaluative Tooling for assessing extension quality and usefulness.
Development Guide for implementation patterns and deployment guidance.