The latest articles on DEV Community by Lane (@lane_lyj). https://dev.to/lane_lyj https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F3784251%2F8c68df57-a697-4ca8-936f-91a5032dbd60.png https://dev.to/lane_lyj en Lane Tue, 24 Feb 2026 08:03:57 +0000 https://dev.to/lane_lyj/01-what-is-an-agent-2k99 https://dev.to/lane_lyj/01-what-is-an-agent-2k99 <h2> Agent Definition </h2> <p>Plain definition: An agent is a "virtual assistant that thinks for itself to get things done."</p> <p>Core capabilities: planning, tool selection, tool execution, and summarization.</p> <blockquote> <p>More formal definition: An entity that can autonomously perceive its environment and take actions to achieve goals.</p> </blockquote> <h2> Agent vs Workflow </h2> <p>In one sentence: <strong>An agent uses tools to autonomously figure out how to solve problems; a workflow follows preset steps and executes in a fixed way.</strong></p> <h3> Analogy </h3> <ul> <li> <strong>Agent</strong>: like an <strong>intelligent assistant</strong> that understands your intent and figures out how to solve problems on its own</li> <li> <strong>Workflow</strong>: like an <strong>assembly line</strong> that runs in a preset sequence of steps, suited to standardized processes</li> </ul> <h3> When to Use Which </h3> <ul> <li> <strong>Agent</strong>: suited to tasks that need intelligent decision-making</li> <li> <strong>Workflow</strong>: suited to standardized, repetitive, fixed-process tasks</li> </ul> agents workflow