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Beginner — Agent versus chatbot?

The OpenAI Agents SDK provides agent-oriented building blocks for model calls, tools, handoffs, and run management. It offers a higher-level agent interface than manually processing each API response. SDK features and provider integration details depend on…

AI and LLM fundamentals

An AI agent is software that uses a model to choose actions toward a goal, observes results, and decides what to do next within application limits. A chatbot describes a conversational interface; it may or may not contain an agent. A workflow defines the…

A practical textbook for building AI applications, agents, and reliable client solutions.

Multi-agent systems involve several model-driven roles cooperating. Hierarchical systems organize those roles into levels of coordinators and workers. Multiple ordinary functions in a workflow are not automatically multiple agents.

A router chooses a specialized path based on the request. It can use deterministic rules, a classifier, or an LLM with a bounded enum output. Routing does not automatically require a full agent loop.

An agent loop alternates decision, action, and observation. ReAct is a pattern that combines deciding what information/action is needed with executing tools and observing results. “Reasoning” here means useful task planning and decision-making, not a…

CrewAI organizes agent work around roles, tasks, and orchestration constructs such as flows. Google ADK is an agent development toolkit with agent and workflow-oriented components. Both provide reusable abstractions; neither makes a multi-agent design…

flowchart TD

Microsoft Agent Framework, or MAF, provides agent abstractions and explicit workflows. An agent handles model-driven interaction and tool use; a workflow connects agents and ordinary functions through controlled paths. Microsoft describes it as the successor…

Beginner — Deterministic versus agentic workflow?

AI and LLM fundamentals

An AI agent is software that uses a model to choose actions toward a goal, observes results, and decides what to do next within application limits. A chatbot describes a conversational interface; it may or may not contain an agent. A workflow defines the…

Multi-agent systems involve several model-driven roles cooperating. Hierarchical systems organize those roles into levels of coordinators and workers. Multiple ordinary functions in a workflow are not automatically multiple agents.

A chatbot is a conversational interface. An agent uses a model to choose bounded actions and observes results toward a goal. A chatbot can use an agent, but a one-call conversation does not require one.

A router chooses a specialized path based on the request. It can use deterministic rules, a classifier, or an LLM with a bounded enum output. Routing does not automatically require a full agent loop.

An agent loop alternates decision, action, and observation. ReAct is a pattern that combines deciding what information/action is needed with executing tools and observing results. “Reasoning” here means useful task planning and decision-making, not a…

When distinct scopes or specialties show measurable benefit over one agent or a fixed workflow. I require typed responsibilities, limited delegation, shared budgets, consistency checks, and outcome evaluation—not cosmetic role-play.

The model proposes a step, the application validates and executes a permitted action, and the result becomes an observation. The loop repeats only while task progress and step/time/token limits allow it.

I inspect whether the goal and completion conditions are clear and whether tool results are usable. I add repeated-query/progress detection and strict budgets, then clarify or escalate when evidence remains insufficient rather than searching indefinitely.

Tools are approved external capabilities. Planning breaks a goal into steps; state records current execution facts; memory carries selected information across turns or tasks. Autonomous action means the system can perform some actions without a new user…

Human-in-the-loop means a workflow includes a person who supplies information, reviews a result, or authorizes an action. The system can pause durably while waiting. Human approval is a business event with identity and scope, not a sentence in the prompt.

A planner proposes steps; an executor performs permitted steps and reports results. Splitting the roles separates deciding from acting. The executor still enforces constraints rather than blindly following the plan.

AI Engineering learning module

AI Engineering learning module

AI Engineering learning module

AI Engineering learning module

AI Engineering learning module