Registry vs Temporal AI
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and ratings
At a glance
| Dimension | Registry | Temporal AI |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free (open source) | Freemium (Cloud with usage-based billing; self-hosted open source) |
| Core Function | Curated agent discovery catalog (ACP protocol) | Durable execution engine for workflows & agents |
| Key Feature | Versioned agent index, authentication requirement, JSON API | Automatic state capture, retries, human-in-the-loop, serverless workers |
| Integrations | GitHub, Zed Industries, JetBrains | OpenAI Agents SDK, Google ADK, Slack, NVIDIA, Salesforce, Twilio |
| Target User | Devs building ACP-compatible clients; agent creators | Teams needing crash-proof, durable agent workflows |
| Latest News | Logout & session close methods stabilized (May/Jun 2026) | Serverless Workers, Standalone Activities, Workflow Streams announced (Replay 2026); usage-based billing with Custom Roles pre-release (Jun 2026) |
If you need to discover and distribute ACP-compatible agents with authentication, pick Registry. If you need to build reliable, crash-proof AI workflows with state persistence, retries, and human-in-the-loop, pick Temporal AI. They solve different problems—Registry is a catalog, Temporal is a runtime.
The ACP Registry is one JSON endpoint listing every ACP-compatible coding agent you can install and authenticate.
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Durable execution platform that keeps AI agents and long-running workflows alive through crashes, retries, and abandoned sessions.
Visit WebsiteWho should pick which
- ACP agent developerPick: Registry
You need a distribution channel to list your ACP-compatible agent with authentication; Registry's curated index and JSON endpoint help clients discover your agent.
- AI agent workflow builderPick: Temporal AI
You need durable execution with retries, state persistence, and human-in-the-loop for mission-critical agent workflows; Temporal's SDKs and serverless workers are built for that.
- Client developer (ACP client)Pick: Registry
You need a programmatic way to find and install ACP agents; Registry's JSON endpoint and versioned entries make integration easy.
- Open source contributorPick: Registry
You can contribute agent listings via GitHub pull requests; Registry is community-driven and free.
- SaaS builder with multi-step flowsPick: Temporal AI
You need to orchestrate microservices with compensating transactions (Saga pattern) and long-running processes; Temporal's durability and visibility UI excel here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Registry vs Temporal AI: which should you choose?
If you need to discover and distribute ACP-compatible agents with authentication, pick Registry. If you need to build reliable, crash-proof AI workflows with state persistence, retries, and human-in-the-loop, pick Temporal AI. They solve different problems—Registry is a catalog, Temporal is a runtime.
Can I use Registry to run agents?
No, Registry is only a discovery catalog—you need an ACP-compatible client to actually run the agents.
Does Temporal AI support human-in-the-loop workflows?
Yes, via signals and pause/resume mechanisms, allowing a human to intervene mid-workflow.
Is Registry only for coding agents?
No, it supports multiple agent types, including general-purpose, though many listed agents are coding-focused.
What is the latest major feature in Temporal AI?
At Replay 2026, Temporal announced Serverless Workers (no worker management), Standalone Activities, and Workflow Streams for real-time interactivity.
Do I need to pay for Registry?
No, it's entirely free and open source.
Can Temporal AI replace a message queue?
Not directly; Temporal uses task queues internally but also provides workflow orchestration beyond queuing.
Does Registry have an API?
Yes, it provides a JSON endpoint for programmatic access: https://cdn.agentclientprotocol.com/registry/v1/latest/registry.json
What's the recent news about Registry's session management?
As of May/June 2026, the Logout method (ending authenticated state) and Session Close (canceling in-flight work) have been stabilized.
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Last reviewed: July 3, 2026