Chit-Chat
Every Interlocute node exposes exactly two surfaces: /chit and /chat. That's it. One for discovery, one for conversation.
Why two endpoints?
Most AI platforms bury node capabilities behind dashboards, documentation portals, or proprietary SDKs. Interlocute takes a different approach: every node is self-describing and self-addressable through a single pair of HTTP endpoints.
GET /chit— tells you what the node is and what it can do (deterministic, inference-free)POST /chat— lets you talk to it (interactive, model-driven)
This design is intentional. A human with curl can discover a node and start
a conversation in two requests. An agent or orchestrator can do the same programmatically — no SDK,
no API key exchange protocol, no out-of-band documentation required.
The contract is small enough to memorize, stable enough to build on, and open enough for interoperability across tools, platforms, and organizations.
What is /chit?
/chit is the deterministic, machine- and human-readable
"node information sheet" exposed over HTTP for every addressable node.
It is for discovery and governance, not conversation. It tells a caller:
- What the node is (identity and capabilities)
- What it can do (supported operations, tools, models)
- What to expect operationally (status, pricing, invocation shape)
All of this is generated from typed node facts, capability flags, and persisted operator configuration — without relying on model inference. The output is predictable, stable, and deterministic.
What is /chat?
/chat is the interactive conversation surface on every node.
You POST a message, the node processes it
(potentially retrieving memory, consulting a knowledge base, or invoking tools), and streams or returns a response.
Each exchange flows through a thread — the unit of conversation state.
Chat is model-driven and non-deterministic: the same input may produce different outputs depending on conversation history, model temperature, and tool results.
Side by side
- GET /chit/identity
- name: "Support Assistant"
- model: "gpt-4o"
- capabilities: [memory, rag, tools]
- Deterministic, inference-free
- POST /chat
- → "What are my open orders?"
- ← "You have 3 open orders: …"
- Interactive, model-driven
When to use which
Use /chit when…
You want to discover what a node is, what it can do, and how it's configured — without invoking the model. Ideal for agent-to-agent discovery, governance tooling, and directory listings.
Use /chat when…
You want to have a conversation: ask questions, give instructions, get creative responses, or trigger tool-augmented actions.
Next steps
- Chit API Reference — full /chit endpoint reference for node discovery
- Chat API Reference — full /chat endpoint reference with schemas and examples
- Memory — persistent context across sessions
- API Overview — endpoint model and errors