> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.cloudthinker.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Agents

> Understand how the CloudThinker assistant, temporary subagents, and your custom agents share the work in a workspace.

Every request goes to **CloudThinker**, the assistant built into each workspace. It answers directly, splits large tasks across temporary subagents, and hands off to any custom agent your team builds.

## Why one assistant

* **One place to ask.** You don't pick a specialist first. Type your request, and CloudThinker works out which connections and skills it needs.
* **Parallel work when it helps.** CloudThinker spawns short-lived subagents to check several things at once, then combines what they found.
* **Your own experts.** Custom agents carry your team's instructions and only the connections you attach.
* **The same guardrails everywhere.** Every agent's write actions follow your workspace's [Manual or Auto](/guide/auto-mode) setting and [Tool Permissions](/guide/approval).

## The CloudThinker assistant

CloudThinker is always on. You can't turn it off, and it can use every [connection](/guide/connections/overview) in the workspace.

Mention `@CloudThinker` or just type. This table shows who answers a message:

| You send | Who answers |
| - | - |
| A message with no mention | CloudThinker, or the agent that answered last if it's still active |
| A message that mentions a custom agent | That custom agent |
| A message that mentions `@CloudThinker` | CloudThinker |

The `@` picker, titled **Mention an agent**, lists CloudThinker and your workspace's active custom agents.

## Subagents

For a task with several independent parts — say, checking three services during an incident — CloudThinker spawns temporary subagents that work in parallel. Each one reports back, and CloudThinker combines the results into one answer.

| What you see | Meaning |
| - | - |
| **Spawn Subagents** in the chat | CloudThinker started parallel subagents for this task |
| **N agents still working** | Subagents are still running |
| **1 agent needs you** | A subagent is waiting on you. Click the line to open the **Agents** tab in the side panel |
| **Needs approval** on a subagent | It wants to run a write action that needs your approval |
| **Finish Subagent** | A subagent reported its results back |

Subagents exist only for the task that started them. They don't appear in your agent list.

## Custom agents

A custom agent is an agent your workspace defines: its own name, `@mention`, role, instructions, and connections. Use one when a team needs consistent behavior — a database reviewer that always follows your naming rules, for example.

Create one under **Settings → Agents** (in the **Agent Configuration** group). Click **Create agent**, then choose **Create with AI** or **Build with form**. Each custom agent has:

| Setting | What it controls |
| - | - |
| **Identity** | Avatar, name, `@mention`, role, and goal |
| **Instructions** and **Language** | How the agent works and replies |
| **Model Tier** | Which model class the agent uses |
| **Skill Learning** | **Auto** saves new skills, **Offer** asks first, **Off** never saves |
| **Connections** | The connections this agent can use |

A custom agent turns itself off when it has no connection. The number of custom agents depends on your plan — see [Customize agents](/guide/agents/customize) for the full setup.

## Agents in each module

| Module | Who does the work |
| - | - |
| [Resolve](/guide/incident/overview) | CloudThinker investigates each incident and proposes the fix |
| [Review](/guide/code-review/overview) | Pull-request reviews are posted by the review bot. Reply with `@cloudthinker-ai` [commands](/guide/code-review/mention-commands) |
| [Optimize](/guide/cost-optimization/overview) | Findings come from your billing data. Ask CloudThinker in chat to dig into any of them |
| [Cyber](/guide/security/cyber-overview) | A dedicated security agent runs each pentest against your app |

See [Modules](/guide/modules) for what each one needs before it starts.

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Where did Anna, Alex, Oliver, Tony, and Kai go?">
    Earlier versions showed five named agents. CloudThinker now handles their work as one assistant and spawns subagents when a task needs parallel expertise. Ask CloudThinker directly instead of picking a specialist.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I turn CloudThinker off?">
    No. CloudThinker is always active in every workspace. You can turn custom agents on and off.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do custom agents follow approvals?">
    Yes. Write actions from any agent — CloudThinker, a subagent, or a custom agent — follow the same workspace approval setting.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="How CloudThinker fits together" icon="sitemap" href="/guide/platform-model">
    See where agents sit among workspaces, connections, and guardrails
  </Card>

  <Card title="Customize agents" icon="user-gear" href="/guide/agents/customize">
    Create a custom agent and attach its connections
  </Card>

  <Card title="Auto Mode" icon="bolt" href="/guide/auto-mode">
    Choose whether write actions wait for approval
  </Card>

  <Card title="Commands" icon="terminal" href="/guide/commands">
    Save reusable prompts and run them with /
  </Card>
</CardGroup>


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