AI agent — An AI system that doesn't just answer once but works toward a goal in a loop — taking actions, reading the results, and deciding what to do next.
agent harness — The scaffolding around a model that turns it into a working agent — the loop, the tools it can call, and the rules for when to stop.
Why it matters
An open, growing reference for building AI agentAn AI system that doesn't just answer once but works toward a goal in a loop — taking actions, reading the results, and deciding what to do next.Full definition → runtimes — concepts, tutorials, papers, tools — in one curated place. The map to start from if agent harnessThe scaffolding around a model that turns it into a working agent — the loop, the tools it can call, and the rules for when to stop.Full definition → engineering is the rabbit hole you are heading down.
Key quotes
“A harness is the runtime wrapper that turns a bare language model into an agent — an autonomous system that can perceive its environment, make decisions, and take actions over multiple steps.”
“The harness handles everything the model can't do on its own: executing tools, managing memory, assembling context, and enforcing safety boundaries.”
“This guide covers harness engineering from first principles to production patterns, with real code in every article.”
