Glossary · Agents & tools
Agent
A software system that lets a model select actions toward a goal, observe tool or environment results, and continue under an orchestration policy. An agent may use a loop, a state machine, a workflow engine, or human approvals. The model is one component, not the entire system.
Why it matters
Reliability comes from the harness, tool contracts, state, permissions, and verification around the model.
In practice
A coding agent reads repository context, proposes a patch, runs tests in a sandbox, and stops for approval before deployment.
Common confusion
Autonomy is a degree of delegated authority, not a required property of every agent.
Related terms
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