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ECP (Execution Control Protocol) is an open standard for defining, packaging, versioning, and deploying execution environments for AI agents — portable specifications that describe what an agent can see, what tools it can access, and how it runs. ECP is designed to embrace and extend the Model Context Protocol (MCP) — not replace it.
  • MCP standardizes how models call tools.
  • ECP standardizes how agents, tools, context, and policies execute together.
Think of ECP as:
  • Docker Compose for MCP tools — bundle servers, mounts, and policies in one manifest
  • Infrastructure-as-code for agent execution — declarative, versioned, shareable
  • The missing layer between tool calling (MCP) and multi-agent systems

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What can ECP enable?

  • Shareable execution environments — define once, run anywhere (CLI, platform, or custom runtime).
  • Verticalized contexts — e.g. Shopify Ops Context, RevOps Context, with the right tools and guardrails.
  • Safe, inspectable execution — default-deny tool access, budgets, write controls, and full audit traces.
  • Portable agent specs — version and distribute Context manifests like container images.

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Why does ECP matter?

Depending on where you sit in the ecosystem, ECP can have different benefits.
  • Developers: Define execution environments declaratively; no custom orchestration glue for every deployment.
  • Platforms and runtimes: Implement once against the spec; support any ECP Context.
  • End users: More capable, governed AI agents that run in reproducible, auditable environments.

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Relationship to MCP

ECP builds directly on MCP. MCP standardizes tool discovery and invocation; ECP does not redefine tool calling. Instead, ECP:
  • References MCP servers and tool names
  • Uses structured argument schemas
  • Bundles permissions and policies
  • Adds versioning and packaging semantics
If MCP is the “USB interface” for AI tools, ECP is the “container manifest” that defines the whole execution environment.

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Start building

Quickstart

Run your first Context in minutes

Concepts

Context, executors, orchestration, and mounts

Schema reference

JSON Schema and type definitions

CLI reference

ecp run, ecp validate, and ecp trace

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Learn more

Relationship to MCP

How ECP sits above MCP

Security

Default-deny, budgets, and audit

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Alternatives and comparisons

Alternatives and comparisons

Compare ECP (Execution Control Protocol) to popular frameworks

ECP vs LangChain

Orchestration vs execution control in practice

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AI tools

Use Cursor with ECP

Install the ECP docs skill and move faster

Use Claude Code with ECP

Speed up manifests, examples, and CLI flows