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Agents are RAG configuration records that define how queries are processed

TL;DR

Agents are RAG configuration records that define how queries are processed. An agent configuration includes:

Key Takeaways

  • What is an Agent?
  • Agent Components
  • Agent Types
  • Creating an Agent
  • Agent Lifecycle
  • Agent Settings

Agents are RAG configuration records that define how queries are processed.

What is an Agent?

An agent configuration includes:

  • agent_id: Unique identifier (e.g., agent_abc123)
  • name: Display name
  • system_prompt: Instructions prepended to every query
  • data_source_ids: Array of data sources to query
  • rag_strategy: redwood | cedar | cypress
  • model: gpt-4 | gpt-3.5-turbo | claude-3-sonnet
  • temperature: 0-2 (default: 0.7)
  • max_tokens: Response length limit (default: 500)

Storage: PostgreSQL agents table

Observable behavior: Different agents with same data sources return different responses based on system_prompt and strategy

Agent Components

1. Configuration

Basic Settings:

  • Name and description
  • Avatar/icon
  • Status (active/inactive)

Behavior Settings:

  • System instructions
  • Response style (concise, detailed, technical)
  • Tone (professional, friendly, casual)
  • Language preferences

2. Data Sources

Agents can access one or more data sources:

  • Connected during agent creation
  • Can be added/removed anytime
  • Restricted by permissions and tiers
  • Optional: limit to specific tags or categories

3. RAG Strategy

Choose the retrieval strategy based on your needs:

StrategySpeedQualityBest For
RedwoodFast (~1-2s)GoodClear, simple questions
CedarMedium (~2-3s)BetterConversational queries
CypressSlower (~3-4s)BestComplex, high-stakes questions

See RAG Strategies for detailed comparison.

4. Model Selection

Choose the language model:

  • GPT-4o: Best quality, most capable
  • GPT-4: High quality, good reasoning
  • GPT-3.5-turbo: Fast, cost-effective
  • Custom models: Bring your own (Enterprise)

5. Workflow Type

Standard Workflow:

  • Direct question → answer
  • Fastest response
  • Best for most use cases

Agentic Workflow:

  • Can use tools and functions
  • Multi-step reasoning
  • Can break down complex queries
  • Best for complex problem-solving

Agent Types

Customer Support Agent

  • Access to help documentation, FAQs, product guides
  • Friendly, helpful tone
  • Fast responses (Redwood strategy)
  • Focus on resolution

Technical Documentation Agent

  • Access to API docs, technical specs, code examples
  • Technical, precise tone
  • High accuracy (Cypress strategy)
  • Detailed explanations

Sales Enablement Agent

  • Access to product info, pricing, competitive intel
  • Professional, persuasive tone
  • Balanced speed and quality (Cedar strategy)
  • Feature-focused

Internal Knowledge Agent

  • Access to all company documentation
  • Professional tone
  • Private data only
  • Comprehensive access

Creating an Agent

See Creating Your First Agent for a step-by-step guide.

Quick steps:

  1. Navigate to AgentsCreate New Agent
  2. Configure basic settings (name, description)
  3. Select data sources
  4. Choose RAG strategy
  5. Add custom instructions
  6. Test in Playground
  7. Deploy

Agent Lifecycle

┌─────────┐
│ Create  │
└────┬────┘
     │
     ▼
┌─────────┐
│Configure│
└────┬────┘
     │
     ▼
┌─────────┐
│  Test   │ ← Iterate
└────┬────┘
     │
     ▼
┌─────────┐
│ Deploy  │
└────┬────┘
     │
     ▼
┌─────────┐
│ Monitor │ → Review Inbox, Analytics
└────┬────┘
     │
     ▼
┌─────────┐
│ Improve │ → Edit instructions, add data sources
└────┬────┘
     │
     └─────→ (back to Test)

Agent Settings

Privacy Settings

Private Data Only:

  • Uses only organization-specific data sources
  • No external information
  • Higher security
  • More controlled responses

Public + Private Data:

  • Can access both org data and public information
  • Broader knowledge
  • More comprehensive answers

Response Configuration

Response Length:

  • Concise: 1-2 paragraphs
  • Standard: 2-4 paragraphs
  • Detailed: Comprehensive explanations

Citation Behavior:

  • Always cite sources
  • Cite only when necessary
  • No citations (not recommended)

Confidence Threshold:

  • Only answer when confident
  • Attempt all questions
  • Admit uncertainty when appropriate

Advanced Settings

Temperature: Control creativity (0.0 - 1.0) Max Tokens: Limit response length Top P: Nucleus sampling parameter Frequency Penalty: Reduce repetition Presence Penalty: Encourage topic diversity

Managing Agents

Viewing Agents

The Agent Hub displays all your agents:

  • Agent list with key metrics
  • Search and filter
  • Sort by name, creation date, or usage
  • Quick actions (edit, duplicate, delete)

Editing Agents

  1. Click on an agent to open settings
  2. Modify any configuration
  3. Save changes
  4. Test in Playground to verify

Changes take effect immediately.

Duplicating Agents

Create variations of existing agents:

  1. Open the agent you want to duplicate
  2. Click Duplicate
  3. Modify the copy as needed
  4. Save with a new name

Use cases:

  • A/B testing different configurations
  • Creating specialized versions
  • Staging vs production agents

Archiving Agents

Deactivate agents without deleting:

  • Preserves configuration and history
  • Can be reactivated later
  • Doesn't count toward agent limits

Deleting Agents

⚠️ Warning: Deletion is permanent and will:

  • Remove agent configuration
  • Invalidate API integrations
  • Remove from all deployments
  • Preserve interaction history (for analytics)

Best Practices

Start Simple

  • Begin with a focused knowledge base
  • Add data sources incrementally
  • Test thoroughly before adding more

Clear Instructions

  • Be specific about behavior expectations
  • Include examples of good responses
  • Define boundaries (what not to answer)

Choose the Right Strategy

  • Redwood: When speed matters
  • Cedar: For conversational use cases
  • Cypress: When accuracy is critical

Monitor and Iterate

  • Review interactions in Inbox
  • Track quality metrics in Analytics
  • Continuously improve based on feedback

Test Before Deploying

  • Use Playground extensively
  • Test edge cases
  • Involve stakeholders in testing
  • Document test scenarios

Next Steps


Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the ask query parameter:

GET /dev/product/overview.md?ask=<question>

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.

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Last updated January 26, 2026