---
title: "Glossary"
description: "Definitions for the agentic web: .agent TLD, Agent Identity & Discovery (AID), Community Priority Evaluation (CPE), agent naming taxonomy, and more."
metadataTitle: "Glossary — Agent Community"
template: "standard"
structuredData: [breadcrumb, defined-terms]
lastUpdated: "2026-06"
---

## Agentic Web <span id="agentic-web"></span>

The emerging layer of the internet where AI agents interact with humans and with each other autonomously — handling tasks like customer support, code review, logistics, and research. As agents become first-class participants on the web, they need discoverable identities, trust signals, and interoperability standards.

> Agent Community is building the foundational infrastructure for the agentic web: a shared namespace, open standards, and community governance.

## .agent TLD <span id="agent-tld"></span>

A proposed top-level domain dedicated to AI agents, analogous to how .edu means education and .gov means government. The .agent TLD would give agents a native, human-readable namespace on the open web — making it immediately clear that a domain represents an AI agent.

> The .agent TLD is pending ICANN approval. Domains are not yet available or being sold. The community is organizing to submit a community-backed application in ICANN's new gTLD application window, which is open now and runs 30 April to 12 August 2026.

## Agent Identity & Discovery (AID) <span id="aid"></span>

An open protocol for publishing machine-readable identity records via DNS TXT entries. AID enables agent discovery and verification — letting anyone look up who built an agent, what it does, and what policies it follows, using standard DNS infrastructure.

> The AID specification is maintained by Agent Community and available at [aid.agentcommunity.org](https://aid.agentcommunity.org). An interactive workbench for resolving and generating AID records is available at [aid.agentcommunity.org/workbench](https://aid.agentcommunity.org/workbench).

## Accountability <span id="accountability"></span>

The principle that an agent should trace back to a person or company responsible for what it does. A .agent name would guarantee that link exists: a real party stands behind the agent and can be held responsible, even if their identity is not disclosed to everyone at first contact.

## Verified Agent <span id="verified-agent"></span>

An agent whose .agent name is tied to a real, checked operator. A verified agent would carry a claim a counterparty can confirm: that it legally represents a real, accountable entity. That entity's identity would not necessarily be public at first contact; what is provable is that an accountable party stands behind the agent. Verification would be continuous and revocable, not a one-time badge, and offered in tiers for different levels of assurance.

## Trust Signal <span id="trust-signal"></span>

Something you can actually check before relying on an agent. A verified .agent name would be a first-contact trust signal: it shows that a real, accountable operator stands behind the agent, instead of an anonymous endpoint.

## Community Priority Evaluation (CPE) <span id="cpe"></span>

The ICANN process that gives community-backed TLD applications priority over competing commercial bids. A third-party expert panel scores applications across four criteria — community establishment, nexus between the string and the community, registration policies, and community endorsement — on a 16-point scale. An application needs at least 12 points to prevail.

> CPE is how a community-backed application can win priority over corporate bidders. It is also why what a community says about itself has to be checkable.

For a complete walkthrough of CPE, the four criteria, the auction alternative, fees, and timing for the 2026 round, see [CPE, auctions, and the 2026 gTLD round: a complete guide](/blog/how-the-2026-round-works).

## ICANN <span id="icann"></span>

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers — the nonprofit organization that coordinates the global Domain Name System (DNS). ICANN runs the application process for new generic top-level domains (gTLDs) like .agent.

> ICANN's new gTLD application window is open now and runs 30 April to 12 August 2026 — 105 days. Agent Community is preparing its application for this window.

## Generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) <span id="gtld"></span>

A category of top-level domain in the Domain Name System. Unlike country-code TLDs (.us, .uk), gTLDs are not tied to a specific country. Examples include .com, .org, .edu, and newer gTLDs like .app or .dev. The .agent TLD would be a new gTLD dedicated to AI agents.

## Agent Naming Taxonomy <span id="agent-naming-taxonomy"></span>

The classification system for .agent domain names across different use cases. Includes personal roots (lastname.agent), company surfaces (brand.agent, support.acme.agent), community hubs, project agents, fleet agents (fleet.logistics.agent for coordinated agent groups), and distributed surnames.

> The taxonomy ensures .agent names are intuitive and self-describing — you can tell what an agent does and who is responsible for it just from the name.

## Agent <span id="agent"></span>

An autonomous or semi-autonomous AI system that can perceive its environment, make decisions, and take actions to achieve goals. Agents range from simple chatbots to complex multi-step systems that coordinate with other agents and interact with external services.

> In the context of Agent Community, an agent is any AI system that would benefit from a discoverable, trustworthy identity on the open web.

## Open Agent Registry <span id="open-agent-registry"></span>

Open Agent Registry, Inc. is the legal entity that operates Agent Community. Founded in 2024, it coordinates the community's ICANN application, maintains open-source tooling and specifications, and develops proposed governance frameworks for the .agent namespace.

## Pre-Registration <span id="pre-registration"></span>

Pre-registration records a requested `.agent` name for the proposed TLD before it exists in DNS. It is free and non-binding; it does not reserve or assign the name, confer ownership, or guarantee priority. It signals intent and helps the community demonstrate demand during the ICANN application process.

> Pre-registrants may receive early consideration if ICANN approves the TLD, subject to ICANN-approved allocation policies. Premium or contested strings may be subject to additional rules.

## DNS TXT Record <span id="dns-txt-record"></span>

A type of DNS record that stores arbitrary text data associated with a domain. The AID protocol uses DNS TXT records to publish machine-readable agent identity information — including capabilities, policies, contact details, and verification data — that any client can resolve using standard DNS queries.

## Namespace <span id="namespace"></span>

A naming system that organizes identifiers to prevent conflicts and provide structure. In the context of .agent, the namespace is the entire hierarchy of .agent domain names — from top-level registrations (brand.agent) to subdomains (support.brand.agent). Community governance of the namespace ensures fair access and transparent rules.

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## Have a term we should add?

The agentic web is evolving fast. Reach out if there's a concept we should define.

[About the mission](/about) | [Pre-register a .agent name](/)

*Last updated: March 2026*