Docker, JetBrains, and Zed: Building a Common Language for Agents and IDEs

Developers live in their editors. As agents become capable enough to write and refactor code, they should work natively inside those environments. 

That’s why JetBrains and Zed are co-developing ACP, the Agent Communication Protocol. ACP gives agents and editors a shared language, so any agent can read context, take actions, and respond intelligently without bespoke wiring for every tool.

Why it matters

Every protocol that’s reshaped development (LSP for language tools, MCP for AI context) works the same way: define the standard once, unlock the ecosystem. ACP does this for the editor itself. Write an agent that speaks ACP, and it works in JetBrains, Zed, or anywhere else that adopts the protocol. 

Docker’s contribution

Docker’s cagent, an open-source multi-agent runtime, already supports ACP, alongside Claude Code, Codex CLI, and Gemini CLI. Agents built with cagent can run in any ACP-compatible IDE, like JetBrains, immediately.

We’ve also shipped Dynamic MCPs, letting agents discover and compose tools at runtime, surfaced directly in the editor where developers work.

What’s next

ACP is early, but the direction is clear. As agents embed deeper into workflows, the winners will be tools that interoperate. Open standards let everyone build on shared foundations instead of custom glue.

Docker will continue investing in ACP and standards that make development faster, more open, and more secure. When code, context, and automation converge, shared protocols ensure we move forward together.

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