A2A Protocol
← Back to Blog

A2A Protocol Example: How Agents Work Together

April 28, 2025 · Marcus Rodriguez

You've probably heard that the A2A Protocol allows software agents to communicate and work together. But what does that actually look like in practice?

Let's walk through a real-world example to see how A2A makes agent-based systems smarter and more efficient.

Scenario: Booking a Business Trip

Imagine you're planning a business trip. Instead of juggling websites, emails, and apps, you just ask your AI Travel Agent:

"Book me a round trip to New York next week, departing Monday, returning Friday. Prefer morning flights and a hotel near Times Square."

Now, let's look at what happens behind the scenes using A2A.

Step 1: The Client Agent Receives Your Request

Your AI assistant (the client agent) interprets your natural language input. It extracts key details:

  • Destination: New York
  • Dates: Monday to Friday
  • Preferences: Morning flights, hotel location

Then, it prepares structured intent data to send to other agents.

Step 2: Agent-to-Agent Discovery

The client agent uses the A2A protocol to discover:

  • A Flight Booking Agent
  • A Hotel Booking Agent
  • A Calendar Agent (to check your availability)

Each agent has a clear interface and advertised capabilities. A2A handles this discovery process.

Step 3: Intent Negotiation & Execution

Now that the agents know about each other, they begin a conversation.

  • The Calendar Agent checks your schedule and confirms availability.
  • The Flight Agent proposes 3 options based on preferences.
  • The Client Agent picks one and confirms it.
  • Then it talks to the Hotel Agent to find a room that matches your needs.

All this is handled through A2A-standard messages:

  • Task proposals
  • Acknowledgements
  • Confirmations

Each message is structured, traceable, and secure.

Step 4: Task Completion

Once all tasks are confirmed:

  • Your trip details are compiled into a single summary
  • Your email and calendar are updated
  • Receipts are stored in your expense tracker

The agents might continue to monitor your trip, send reminders, or handle rescheduling if things change.

Why A2A Makes a Difference

Without A2A, you'd need:

  • Dozens of direct integrations
  • Hardcoded API workflows
  • Complex error handling logic

With A2A:

  • Agents are reusable and independent
  • Communication is modular and self-descriptive
  • New agents can join the network without breaking things

It's like going from a spaghetti mess of integrations to a well-organized, intelligent conversation system.

Final Thoughts

This is just one example. A2A can power:

  • Automated customer support
  • Multi-agent data processing
  • Smart home coordination
  • AI tools that talk to each other

Anytime multiple systems or services need to collaborate, A2A gives them a better way to work together.

And the best part? You, the user, barely see any of it—but you feel the benefits every time things "just work."

That's the power of agent-to-agent communication.