PEAK-ACL: A FIPA-compliant agent communication package for python-based multi-agent systems

The Smart Python Agent Development Environment (SPADE) is widely adopted for multi-agent development in Python, yet robust interoperability with heterogeneous frameworks, such as the Java Agent Development Framework (JADE), remains costly. This paper presents PEAK-ACL (Python-based Framework for Heterogeneous Agent Communities - Agent Communication Language), a communication package compliant with the Foundation for Intelligent Physical Agents specifications. It provides a message parser, envelope handling, conversation utilities, and a message transport layer. PEAK-ACL integrates with Python environments, automates Directory Facilitator registration, and supports symmetric exchanges between SPADE and JADE. The public repository has reproducible examples as well as unit and integration tests. By replacing improvised bridges with a tested, standards-based path, PEAK-ACL enables researchers and developers to connect heterogeneous agents more quickly and with less effort.