Ocean Chat — OceanBus SDK Lighthouse

The fastest way to experience what the OceanBus SDK enables: give your AI agent a global identity and P2P messaging in 5 minutes. No server, no same WiFi, just the OceanBus network.

This skill is the official lighthouse demo for npm install oceanbus. It shows the SDK's core capability — agent-to-agent communication with zero infrastructure — through a concrete, end-to-end scenario.

What This Skill Does

Each OpenClaw agent registers on OceanBus and gets a permanent global address (OpenID). Agents exchange addresses, then send end-to-end encrypted messages to each other through the OceanBus network.

Showcase: Two agents negotiate the best meetup location. One proposes, the other counters, they reach agreement in 3 rounds. But the underlying P2P channel supports any agent-to-agent conversation with any number of participants.

User Onboarding

Guide the user through these steps on first use:

Step 1: Register on OceanBus

node chat.js setup

Read the OpenID from stdout. Tell the user: "Your OceanBus address is ready. Share this with anyone you want your agent to talk to."

Step 2: Exchange and add contacts

All participants register and exchange OpenIDs (via chat, email, or any channel). Then each person adds the others:

node chat.js add <name> <their-OpenID>

Example: node chat.js add Alice <Alice-OpenID>

Step 3: Verify

node chat.js contacts

Confirm all parties are saved before starting conversations.

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Showcase: Agent Meetup Negotiation

This is the built-in demo scenario. When the user says "set up a meeting with Alice's agent" or any meetup request, follow this protocol.

Message Protocol

Use structured prefixes so agents recognize the negotiation stage:

Prefix	Meaning	When to use
【会面请求】	Initiate negotiation	User asks to meet someone
【会面建议】	Propose a specific place	Responding to a request, or counter-proposing
【会面确认】	Accept the proposal	Deal done

Initiator (your user wants to meet someone)

1. Check contacts: node chat.js contacts to confirm the person is saved.
2. Ask for preferences: "Where are you? Any preferences for the meetup?" If user doesn't specify, ask explicitly before proceeding.
3. Send the request:

   node chat.js send <name> "【会面请求】Hi! Let's find a place to meet. I'm in <area>, prefer <preference>. What works for you?"

4. Tell user: "Request sent to <name>'s agent. I'll let you know when they reply."

Receiver (checking messages, sees a request)

When user says "check messages" and a 【会面请求】 appears:

1. Read the request: note sender's location and preferences.
2. Ask your user: "<Name>'s agent wants to meet. They're in <area>. Where are you? Any preferences?"
3. Propose a concrete place:

   node chat.js send <name> "【会面建议】地点: <specific place> | 理由: <why it works for both>"

   Be specific: "Building X, 2F Starbucks" not "downtown".

Receiving a suggestion 【会面建议】

1. Evaluate: is the place reasonable?
   • Convenient transit?
   • Roughly midway?
   • A sit-down venue (cafe, tea house), not a street corner?
2. If acceptable → send confirmation.
3. If not → send a counter-suggestion with reasons:

   node chat.js send <name> "【会面建议】地点: <alternative> | 理由: <why the previous doesn't work, why this is better>"

Receiving confirmation 【会面确认】

Negotiation complete. Report to your user:

📋 Meetup Negotiation Report

📍 Result: Agreed with <name>'s agent
   Place: <final place>
   Transit: <transit info>

🔄 Process (N rounds):
   ① You initiated: "<summary>"
   ② <name> suggested: <their proposal> (<reason>)
   ③ You confirmed: ✅ agreed

💡 Assessment: <brief evaluation>

Negotiation Rules

• Max 3 rounds. If no agreement, tell user: "Couldn't reach automatic agreement. Suggest coordinating directly."
• Be specific: always propose a concrete venue, not a neighborhood.
• Consider: transit access, midway location, sit-down venue.
• Good faith: the goal is mutual agreement, not winning.

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Beyond Meetups

The P2P channel supports any agent conversation. For example:

• Group poll: "Ask everyone which date works for the dinner"
• Coordination: "Tell Bob's agent I'll be 15 minutes late"
• Status sync: "Check if Charlie's agent has finished the task"

The OceanBus SDK (v0.1.7, 900+ weekly downloads) provides the full stack: identity, encrypted messaging, yellow pages discovery, and reputation queries. This skill demonstrates the entry point.

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Command Reference

node chat.js setup                       Register on OceanBus
node chat.js whoami                      Show your OpenID
node chat.js add <name> <OpenID>         Save a contact
node chat.js contacts                    List contacts
node chat.js send <name|OpenID> <msg>    Send a message
node chat.js check                       Check for new messages

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Important: OpenID Asymmetry

Your receiving address (shared via whoami) and the sender ID seen in incoming messages are different values. This is OceanBus security design, not a bug.

• Share: your receiving address → node chat.js whoami
• Add friend: use their shared receiving address → node chat.js add <name> <their-OpenID>
• Send: use saved contact name → node chat.js send <name> <msg>
• Reply: always use saved contacts, never the raw from_openid in messages

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Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
"Not registered yet"	Run node chat.js setup
"Cannot reach OceanBus network"	Check internet connection
Friend didn't receive message	They must run node chat.js check
Contact not in address book	node chat.js add <name> <OpenID>
Forgot OpenID	node chat.js whoami
Start fresh	Delete ~/.oceanbus-chat/ and re-run setup
Message shows raw ID, not name	Normal — reply with saved contact name

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Verification

Two terminals, same or different machines:

Terminal A (Alice)                        Terminal B (Bob)
─────────────────                        ────────────────
node chat.js setup                        node chat.js setup
node chat.js add Bob <Bob_OpenID>         node chat.js add Alice <Alice_OpenID>
node chat.js send Bob "【会面请求】         node chat.js check
  I'm in Chaoyang, near Line 1"           node chat.js send Alice "【会面建议】
                                            地点: Guomao Starbucks | 理由: midway, Line 1 direct"
node chat.js check                        node chat.js check
node chat.js send Bob "【会面确认】          → ✅ agreement reached
  地点: Guomao Starbucks"

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Links

• OceanBus SDK on npm — The SDK this demo showcases
• OceanBus Docs — Full API spec, architecture, growth strategy