Agents

Agents are autonomous entities that determine HOW tasks are accomplished. While tasks define what needs to be done, agents are responsible for interpreting instructions, making decisions, and executing the necessary actions to achieve objectives.

Core Principles

Autonomy and Decision Making

Agents operate with a degree of autonomy, making decisions based on:

• Their defined instructions and expertise
• Available tools and capabilities
• Current context and state
• Task objectives and constraints

Specialization and Expertise

Each agent can be specialized for particular domains or functions:

• Domain-specific knowledge embedded in instructions
• Tailored tool sets for specific capabilities
• Focused scope of operation
• Optimized for particular types of tasks

State and Context Management

Agents maintain their own state and context throughout their operation:

• Tracking conversation history
• Managing memory of past actions
• Maintaining awareness of current objectives
• Understanding their role and limitations

Tool Utilization

Agents effectively use their assigned tools:

• Understanding tool capabilities and constraints
• Selecting appropriate tools for tasks
• Combining tools to achieve objectives
• Managing tool dependencies and interactions

Agent Architecture

The agent architecture follows key principles:

1. Clear Instructions: Agents are guided by explicit instructions that define their behavior and expertise

2. Tool Integration: Agents have access to specific tools that define their capabilities

3. Expert Knowledge: Agents maintain domain expertise relevant to their purpose

4. Interaction Model: Agents follow defined patterns for:

   • Task interpretation
   • Decision making
   • Tool selection
   • Result generation

Design Principles

When designing agents, consider:

1. Single Responsibility: Each agent should have a clear, focused purpose

2. Clear Boundaries: Define explicit scope and limitations

3. Predictable Behavior: Ensure consistent decision-making patterns

4. Appropriate Autonomy: Balance flexibility with control

Understanding Agent Behavior

Agents operate in a loop of:

1. Receiving task objectives and context
2. Interpreting requirements
3. Planning necessary actions
4. Executing using available tools
5. Evaluating results and adjusting

This loop continues until the task objectives are met or other stopping conditions are reached.

Next Steps

• Learn about Tasks that agents execute
• Explore Toolkits agents can use
• Understand Flows for orchestrating agents