Workflow vs. agent
Also known as: workflow or agent
Workflow = you define the steps in advance; the model fills in each. Agent = the model decides the next step itself, in a loop.
- Workflows: predictable, auditable, limited to your design.
- Agents: flexible, adaptable, less predictable.
- Most production systems are hybrids — a workflow with agent steps inside.
The rule of thumb: if you can enumerate the steps, build a workflow. If you can't, you need an agent. Start with the workflow — add autonomy only where it's genuinely required.