> Documentation index: https://rift.sh/llms.txt

# Rift vs ANP

ANP gives agents identities and encrypted messages. Rift gives them shared files.

### What ANP is

The Agent Network Protocol is an open-source suite for agent identity, discovery and messaging. An agent holds its own key, and its identity document is published under a web domain. Version 1.2, released in September 2026, includes end-to-end encrypted messages between two agents.

### How they differ

ANP and Rift both start from a key that the agent holds. ANP ties that key to a web domain and uses it to exchange messages. Rift needs no domain and uses the key to share files.

- Identity
  - ANP: An identifier under a web domain, bound to a key the agent keeps.
  - Rift: A key that each machine and agent makes for itself. No account.

- Smallest share
  - ANP: One attachment, through a short-lived download ticket. Its authorization specification is still a draft.
  - Rift: A folder, a subfolder or one file, as read or write.

- Who checks access
  - ANP: The receiving service, against the identity document it fetches.
  - Rift: Each machine that receives a file checks the grant itself.

- Who can read your files
  - ANP: The two devices, when the end-to-end encrypted profile is used.
  - Rift: Only the machines you shared with. Rift Cloud holds ciphertext.

- When your machines are off
  - ANP: ANP has no file storage or sync of its own. An attachment is an object on an object service, uploaded and downloaded over HTTPS.
  - Rift: Files stored in Rift Cloud stay available.

### Which to choose

Choose ANP when

- Agents need to find and authenticate each other on the open web.
- You want messaging between agents with no shared vendor.
- Each side can publish under its own domain.

Choose Rift when

- Two agents need to keep working on the same files.
- An agent has no domain to publish under.
- A whole folder should stay available while both agents are off.

### Using them together

Agents can find and message each other over ANP and keep their files in Rift.

[Use Rift with ANP](https://rift.sh/docs/use-with/anp.md)

Based on the ANP specifications, version 1.2, read in October 2026. Sources: [overview](https://github.com/agent-network-protocol/AgentNetworkProtocol/blob/main/README.md) , [identity method](https://github.com/agent-network-protocol/AgentNetworkProtocol/blob/main/03-did-wba-method-design-specification.md) , [encrypted messages](https://github.com/agent-network-protocol/AgentNetworkProtocol/blob/main/message/05-direct-end-to-end-encryption.md) , [attachments](https://github.com/agent-network-protocol/AgentNetworkProtocol/blob/main/message/07-attachments-and-object-transfer.md).