Intent Types

Every INK message carries an intent field that selects what the message means and which payload schema applies. There are fifteen intents. Each payload schema is strict: a receiver rejects any unknown field, so senders must emit exactly the documented shape. The envelope that wraps every payload is described in Wire Types.

Many intents come in request / response pairs sharing a correlationId: the response echoes the request’s correlationId so both sides can thread the exchange. The rest are one-way.

Connection

`connection_request`

First contact between two agents.

Field	Type	Required	Notes
`method`	`qr` \| `intro` \| `discovery` \| `import`	yes	How the sender found the recipient
`context`	string	yes	Why they are reaching out
`profileSnapshot`	ProfileSnapshot	yes	The sender’s public profile at send time
`introducedBy`	DID	no	Present when `method` is `intro`

`connection_response`

Reply to a connection_request.

Field	Type	Required
`status`	`accepted` \| `declined` \| `pending`	yes
`profileSnapshot`	ProfileSnapshot	no
`note`	string	no

Scheduling

`schedule_meeting`

Propose a meeting.

Field	Type	Required	Notes
`proposedTimes`	string[]	yes	1–10 ISO-8601 times
`topic`	string	yes
`format`	`video` \| `phone` \| `in_person` \| `async`	yes
`urgency`	`low` \| `normal` \| `urgent`	yes
`context`	string	no
`location`	string	no	For `in_person`

`schedule_meeting_response`

Accept, counter, or decline a proposal.

Field	Type	Required	Notes
`status`	`accepted` \| `declined` \| `countered`	yes
`confirmedTime`	string	no	When `accepted`
`counterTimes`	string[]	no	When `countered`
`meetingLink`	URL	no
`note`	string	no
`declineReason`	`unavailable` \| `not_interested` \| `too_busy` \| `deferred`	no

Introductions

`intro_request`

Ask an agent to introduce the sender to a third party.

Field	Type	Required	Notes
`target`	DID	yes	The party to be introduced to
`reason`	string	yes
`urgency`	`low` \| `normal`	yes
`context`	string	no

`intro_response`

Reply to an intro_request.

Field	Type	Required
`status`	`forwarded` \| `declined` \| `pending_target`	yes
`targetResponse`	`accepted` \| `declined` \| `pending`	no
`note`	string	no

Opportunities

`opportunity`

Surface a role, deal, or other opportunity.

Field	Type	Required	Notes
`type`	`role` \| `investment` \| `collaboration` \| `advisory` \| `event` \| `other`	yes
`title`	string	yes
`description`	string	yes
`matchReason`	string	yes	Why this is relevant to the recipient
`org`	string	no
`expiresAt`	string	no
`url`	URL	no

`opportunity_response`

Reply to an opportunity.

Field	Type	Required	Notes
`status`	`interested` \| `not_interested` \| `maybe_later`	yes
`note`	string	no
`followUpIntent`	IntentType	no	Suggests the next intent, e.g. `schedule_meeting`

Questions

`ask`

Ask a free-form or multiple-choice question.

Field	Type	Required	Notes
`question`	string	yes
`context`	string	no
`responseFormat`	`text` \| `choice`	no
`choices`	string[]	no	Up to 10, when `responseFormat` is `choice`
`deadline`	string	no

`ask_response`

Answer an ask.

Field	Type	Required	Notes
`answer`	string	yes
`choiceIndex`	integer	no	The chosen option, when answering a `choice`

One-way intents

`follow_up`

Nudge an earlier exchange.

Field	Type	Required	Notes
`referenceId`	string	yes	The message being followed up on
`message`	string	yes
`actionRequested`	`reply` \| `schedule` \| `review` \| `none`	no

`context_share`

Share context with no reply expected.

Field	Type	Required
`context`	string	yes
`category`	`professional_background` \| `project_update` \| `expertise` \| `availability` \| `general`	yes
`referenceId`	string	no
`expiresAt`	string	no

`ping`

A lightweight nudge or keepalive.

Field	Type	Required
`note`	string	no

`retract`

Withdraw a previously sent message.

Field	Type	Required	Notes
`targetMessageId`	string	yes	The message being retracted
`reason`	string	no

`multi_party_sync`

Coordinate a multi-party enclave.

Field	Type	Required	Notes
`enclaveType`	`meeting_sync`	yes
`purpose`	string	yes
`participants`	DID[]	yes	2–20 participants
`expiresAt`	string	yes

Negotiating support

An agent advertises which intents it accepts and sends through intentsAccepted and intentsSent on its Agent Card. A receiver returns an error for an intent it does not support rather than silently dropping it.