> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.apigene.ai/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Agent Builder > Create and configure AI agents through a guided conversational workflow ## Overview **Agent Builder** is a dedicated Copilot mode for designing, listing, inspecting, and configuring agents. Use it when you want to **define** an agent as a resource — instructions, applications, MCP servers, skills, and setup — rather than simply **chat** with one. Chat mode is for having a conversation (optionally with one agent selected via `@`). Agent Builder is for agent management: create, clone, validate, and wire integrations before you use the agent in everyday chat. Agent Builder mode home screen ## Chat vs Agent Builder | | **Chat** | **Agent Builder** | | ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Purpose** | Ask questions, run tools, use an agent in conversation | Create and configure agents | | **Agent selection** | Pick one agent via `@` to shape behavior | Build or edit the agent definition itself | | **Tools available** | Application tools, workflows, MCP actions | Builder tools (search apps, generate instructions, create agent, etc.) | | **Best for** | "Read my email", "Summarize this doc" | "Build me a support agent for Slack and Jira" | If you ask in **Chat** to create an agent, list your agents, or inspect full agent configuration, Copilot will suggest switching to **Agent Builder** and show a one-click **Switch to Agent Builder** card. ## Switching to Agent Builder ### From the home screen On a **new chat** (home), use the mode toggle in the top bar: 1. **Chat** — default conversational mode 2. **Agent Builder** — agent creation and management mode The message input border turns blue in Agent Builder so you can tell which mode you are in at a glance. The Chat / Agent Builder toggle is available on the **home** (new chat) screen. From an ongoing thread, use the in-chat **Switch to Agent Builder** card or start a **New chat** to change modes. ### From an ongoing chat When Copilot detects agent-management intent (create, list, clone, inspect config, compare agents), it can show an **Agent Builder** shortcut card in the thread. Click **Switch to Agent Builder** to change mode without leaving the conversation context. You can also open **Agents** from the main menu (`/agents`, `/agent/new`, `/agent/[id]`) for the full agent editor UI. ## What Agent Builder can do Agent Builder uses specialized tools to help you end-to-end: * **Discover applications** — search APIs and MCP servers, browse a preloaded catalog of installed and official integrations * **Generate and refine instructions** — AI-drafted system prompts based on your use case * **Skills** — search your org library and [skills.sh](https://skills.sh), propose skills to attach, and wait for your approval before creating the agent * **Create and update agents** — name, description, instructions, applications, MCP servers, contexts, and skills * **Clone agents** — start from an existing agent as a template * **Validate configuration** — check names, instructions, and attachments before saving * **Present results** — after creation, shows an agent card and setup instructions for connecting to Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT, and other MCP clients ## Recommended workflow Agent Builder follows a guided flow. You do not need to memorize tool names — describe what you want in natural language. ### 1. Describe the agent Start with a short brief, for example: ``` Build an agent that triages GitHub issues and posts summaries to Slack. ``` Agent Builder may ask **2–3 clarifying questions** about purpose, capabilities, and required integrations before proceeding. ### 2. Discover integrations It searches your installed applications and official catalog, and recommends APIs (OpenAPI integrations) or native MCP servers as appropriate. Install native servers first via [Native MCP Servers](/user-guide/mcp-servers) when needed. ### 3. Optional: attach skills If your use case maps to reusable workflows (SEO, code review, deploy runbooks, etc.), Agent Builder can: 1. Search your org **Skills** library and the public registry 2. Show an interactive **skill proposals** card (1–5 matches) 3. Wait for you to install, select, or skip — it never auto-installs without your choice Skipped skills do not block agent creation. Agent Builder (and Chat) can also show a **use case proposals** card when you ask for suggested workflows across apps — review the proposals before acting on them. See [Copilot → Use Case Proposals](/user-guide/copilot#use-case-proposals). ### 4. Generate instructions Agent Builder drafts a structured system prompt (role, guidelines, boundaries) and can refine it based on your feedback. ### 5. Validate and create Configuration is validated (name format, required instructions, valid app/MCP references), then the agent is created. ### 6. Review setup Immediately after creation: * An **agent details card** appears in chat (click through to the edit page) * An **agent setup** card shows how to connect the agent to external AI clients via MCP ## Agent naming guidelines Agent Builder enforces concise names: * **2–3 words** maximum (e.g. "Dev Assistant", "Support Bot") * Letters, numbers, spaces, hyphens (`-`), and underscores (`_`) only * Avoid long compound names like "Dev Flow Assistant (GitHub + Jira)" ## Example prompts **Create from scratch** ``` Create an agent that helps our sales team query Salesforce and draft follow-up emails. ``` **Clone and adapt** ``` Clone my "Support Bot" agent and add Gmail so it can read customer threads. ``` **List and inspect** ``` List my agents and show which applications each one uses. ``` **Skills-focused** ``` Build a PR review agent. Search for skills related to code review and attach the best match. ``` ## After Agent Builder creates an agent Fine-tune in the **Agents** editor: * **Instructions** — edit the system prompt directly * **Applications** — attach or remove OpenAPI integrations * **MCP Servers** — native MCP attachments * **Skills** — org skills library * **Context** — reusable knowledge items * **Generative UI** — visual templates for MCP App results (after the agent is saved) * **Setup** — MCP URLs, per-tool toggles, and managed setup export See [Agents](/user-guide/agents) for the full editor reference. ## Best practices **Be specific about integrations** * Name the systems you need (Slack, Jira, Gmail) so Builder picks the right apps **Answer clarifying questions** * Short answers upfront save back-and-forth later **Use Chat for testing** * After creation, start a new **Chat** thread and mention the agent with `@` to try it in a real conversation **Iterate in the editor** * Agent Builder gets you to a strong first version; use the Agents page for precise tool and instruction tweaks ## Troubleshooting ### I do not see the Agent Builder toggle * Open a **new chat** from the home screen — the toggle is on the new-chat view * From an existing thread, use the **Switch to Agent Builder** card or **New chat** ### Agent Builder created an agent but tools fail in Chat * Open the agent in **Agents** → **Applications** / **MCP Servers** and confirm integrations are attached * Configure **Security** credentials for each application * Test with `@agent-name` in a fresh Chat thread ### Skills were skipped — can I add them later? Yes. Open the agent → **Skills** tab, or browse the [Skills](/user-guide/skills) library and attach from there. ## Next steps * [Agents](/user-guide/agents) — edit instructions, tools, generative UI, and setup export * [Skills](/user-guide/skills) — org skill library and registry * [Copilot](/user-guide/copilot) — use your agent in Chat mode * [MCP Gateway](/user-guide/mcp-gateway/mcp-gateway-overview) — connect agents to external AI clients