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Agents 101

I have a series on YouTube that demystifies and simplifies AI Agents using just HTML pages with an API request: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvBWGU-Bab4&list=PLsszRSbzjyvkWzP6wtfx_LK441YGFkziR

What Is an AI Agent?

A simple LLM, (Large Language Model), call takes input, produces output, and stops. An AI agent is different: it takes a goal, reasons about steps to achieve it, uses tools to act on the world, observes the results, and continues until the goal is met.

The key property is the loop: plan → act → observe → repeat.

Claude Code is an agent. When you ask it to "add a contact form to my website", it reads relevant files, writes code, runs tests, fixes errors, and stops when the job is done — without you directing each step.

Agent Types

Task agents execute a defined workflow: generate an invoice, send a summary email, update a spreadsheet. They are reliable and repeatable.

Research agents gather information from multiple sources, synthesise it, and return a structured report. They are best used with web search and browser MCPs.

Code agents read, write, and modify code. Claude Code itself is a code agent. They work best with a clear codebase context and a well-defined CLAUDE.md.

Orchestrator agents decompose a large task and delegate sub-tasks to specialised agents. Claude Code can spawn sub-agents using the Agent tool.

Multi-Agent Coordination

Complex business workflows benefit from multiple agents working in parallel or in sequence.

Example — weekly content pipeline:

  1. Research agent finds trending topics in your niche (web search MCP)
  2. Writer agent drafts three posts based on research output
  3. Editor agent reviews drafts for tone, length, and SEO
  4. Publisher agent formats and queues posts for scheduling

Each agent receives a specific, scoped task. The orchestrator — often Claude Code in your terminal — coordinates the handoffs.

Claude Code Sub-Agents

Claude Code can launch sub-agents mid-task using its built-in Agent tool. These run in parallel, preserving the main context window for high-level orchestration.

Use sub-agents when:

  • You need to search a large codebase without polluting the main context
  • You want to run independent tasks simultaneously (e.g. draft + research at the same time)
  • A task requires deep focus on one domain while another is in progress

CLAUDE.md — Agent Configuration

CLAUDE.md is a markdown file that Claude Code reads at the start of every session. Use it to encode standing instructions that every agent in your project should follow:

# Project: My Business

## Rules
- Always write in British English
- Never commit without running tests
- Invoice templates are in /templates/invoices/

## Key files
- /docs/index.md — main site content
- /data/contacts.csv — CRM data

Place a CLAUDE.md in your project root for global rules, or in a subfolder for context-specific rules.