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Ask vs Agent and the run loop1 / 2

1 min lesson

Anatomy of an agent run

Consider this situation: "An agent starts editing files you never named. Which beat do you stop it at?" Start with the decision, then the evidence.

Step 1 of 2

Every agent run moves through the same four beats:

  1. 1Plan: restate the goal and sketch the steps.
  2. 2Act: edit files and run tools or commands.
  3. 3Verify: run tests or commands.
  4. 4Hand back: summarize the diff for review.

The beats are useful because they give you places to stop the run. If the plan is vague, fix the prompt. If the action touches unexpected files, pause before the change grows. If verification is missing, run a check or ask for one.

Review it

The hand-back is a diff to review, not a result to accept.

Read the change and run it before you ship.

Those beats play out inside the Agents window. The figure below walks its three panes and what each one is for.