@@ -34,34 +34,15 @@ next based on what it observes.
3434
3535The distinction matters because it changes the engineering requirements:
3636
37- #align(center)[ #table(
38- columns: 3,
39- align: (col, row) => (auto,auto,auto,).at(col),
40- inset: 6pt,
41- [ Dimension] , [ Chatbot] , [ Agent] ,
42- [ ** Actions** ] ,
43- [ Generates text] ,
44- [ Executes code, calls APIs, modifies systems] ,
45- [ ** Autonomy** ] ,
46- [ Responds to prompts] ,
47- [ Decides what to do next] ,
48- [ ** Duration** ] ,
49- [ Single turn] ,
50- [ Minutes to hours] ,
51- [ ** Risk** ] ,
52- [ Wrong answer] ,
53- [ Wrong action (data loss, security breach, cost overrun)] ,
54- [ ** Authorization** ] ,
55- [ User’s permissions] ,
56- [ Needs its own permission model] ,
57- [ ** Observability** ] ,
58- [ Log the response] ,
59- [ Trace every decision and action] ,
60- [ ** Failure mode** ] ,
61- [ Bad text] ,
62- [ Production incident] ,
63- )
64- ]
37+ | Dimension | Chatbot | Agent |
38+ | --- | --- | --- |
39+ | ** Actions** | Generates text | Executes code, calls APIs, modifies systems |
40+ | ** Autonomy** | Responds to prompts | Decides what to do next |
41+ | ** Duration** | Single turn | Minutes to hours |
42+ | ** Risk** | Wrong answer | Wrong action (data loss, security breach, cost overrun) |
43+ | ** Authorization** | User’s permissions | Needs its own permission model |
44+ | ** Observability** | Log the response | Trace every decision and action |
45+ | ** Failure mode** | Bad text | Production incident |
6546
6647When you deploy an agent, you’re deploying a system that can act on your
6748infrastructure. That’s a fundamentally different engineering problem
@@ -156,98 +137,39 @@ The agent ecosystem has consolidated around a few key players and
156137patterns.
157138
158139### Frameworks
159- #align(center)[ #table(
160- columns: 4,
161- align: (col, row) => (auto,auto,auto,auto,).at(col),
162- inset: 6pt,
163- [ Framework] , [ Version] , [ Strengths] , [ Best For] ,
164- [[ ** LangChain / LangGraph** ] ( https://github.com/langchain-ai/langchain )] ,
165- [ v1.1.0] ,
166- [ Mature ecosystem, graph-based orchestration] ,
167- [ Complex multi-step workflows] ,
168- [[ ** CrewAI** ] ( https://github.com/crewAIInc/crewAI )] ,
169- [ v1.9.0] ,
170- [ Role-based agents, simple API] ,
171- [ Team-of-agents patterns] ,
172- [[ ** OpenAI Agents SDK** ] ( https://github.com/openai/openai-agents-python )] ,
173- [ GA (Mar 2025)] ,
174- [ Native OpenAI integration, handoffs] ,
175- [ OpenAI-first teams] ,
176- [[ ** Anthropic Claude Code** ] ( https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code )] ,
177- [ Production] ,
178- [ Deep codebase understanding, tool use] ,
179- [ Software engineering tasks] ,
180- [[ ** Microsoft AutoGen** ] ( https://github.com/microsoft/autogen )] ,
181- [ v0.4] ,
182- [ Multi-agent conversations, research-grade] ,
183- [ Research and experimentation] ,
184- [[ ** Goose (Block)** ] ( https://github.com/block/goose )] ,
185- [ Open source] ,
186- [ MCP-native, extensible, observable] ,
187- [ Production agent deployments] ,
188- )
189- ]
140+ | Framework | Version | Strengths | Best For |
141+ | --- | --- | --- | --- |
142+ | [ ** LangChain / LangGraph** ] ( https://github.com/langchain-ai/langchain ) | v1.1.0 | Mature ecosystem, graph-based orchestration | Complex multi-step workflows |
143+ | [ ** CrewAI** ] ( https://github.com/crewAIInc/crewAI ) | v1.9.0 | Role-based agents, simple API | Team-of-agents patterns |
144+ | [ ** OpenAI Agents SDK** ] ( https://github.com/openai/openai-agents-python ) | GA (Mar 2025) | Native OpenAI integration, handoffs | OpenAI-first teams |
145+ | [ ** Anthropic Claude Code** ] ( https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code ) | Production | Deep codebase understanding, tool use | Software engineering tasks |
146+ | [ ** Microsoft AutoGen** ] ( https://github.com/microsoft/autogen ) | v0.4 | Multi-agent conversations, research-grade | Research and experimentation |
147+ | [ ** Goose (Block)** ] ( https://github.com/block/goose ) | Open source | MCP-native, extensible, observable | Production agent deployments |
190148
191149### Coding agents in production
192- #align(center)[ #table(
193- columns: 3,
194- align: (col, row) => (auto,auto,auto,).at(col),
195- inset: 6pt,
196- [ Agent] , [ Deployment Model] , [ Notable Capability] ,
197- [[ ** Ona** ] ( https://ona.com )] ,
198- [ Cloud (sandboxed environments)] ,
199- [ Autonomous end-to-end: plans, codes, builds, tests, opens PRs. Each
150+ | Agent | Deployment Model | Notable Capability |
151+ | --- | --- | --- |
152+ | [ ** Ona** ] ( https://ona.com ) | Cloud (sandboxed environments) | Autonomous end-to-end: plans, codes, builds, tests, opens PRs. Each
200153 agent gets an isolated ephemeral environment. Fleet-scale parallelism
201- for migrations. Runs in your VPC.] ,
202- [[ ** Claude Code** ] ( https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code )] ,
203- [ CLI + IDE] ,
204- [ Full codebase reasoning, multi-file edits] ,
205- [[ ** OpenAI Codex** ] ( https://openai.com/index/introducing-codex/ )] ,
206- [ Cloud-based] ,
207- [ Parallel task execution, sandboxed] ,
208- [[ ** Cursor** ] ( https://cursor.com )] ,
209- [ IDE-integrated] ,
210- [ Real-time code generation, tab completion] ,
211- [[ ** Windsurf** ] ( https://windsurf.com )] ,
212- [ IDE-integrated] ,
213- [ Cascade multi-file editing] ,
214- [[ ** Devin** ] ( https://devin.ai )] ,
215- [ Autonomous] ,
216- [ End-to-end task completion] ,
217- [[ ** GitHub Copilot** ] ( https://github.com/features/copilot )] ,
218- [ IDE + CLI] ,
219- [ Workspace-aware, agent mode] ,
220- )
221- ]
154+ for migrations. Runs in your VPC. |
155+ | [ ** Claude Code** ] ( https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code ) | CLI + IDE | Full codebase reasoning, multi-file edits |
156+ | [ ** OpenAI Codex** ] ( https://openai.com/index/introducing-codex/ ) | Cloud-based | Parallel task execution, sandboxed |
157+ | [ ** Cursor** ] ( https://cursor.com ) | IDE-integrated | Real-time code generation, tab completion |
158+ | [ ** Windsurf** ] ( https://windsurf.com ) | IDE-integrated | Cascade multi-file editing |
159+ | [ ** Devin** ] ( https://devin.ai ) | Autonomous | End-to-end task completion |
160+ | [ ** GitHub Copilot** ] ( https://github.com/features/copilot ) | IDE + CLI | Workspace-aware, agent mode |
222161
223162### The numbers
224163The adoption numbers tell a clear story:
225164
226- #align(center)[ #table(
227- columns: 3,
228- align: (col, row) => (auto,auto,auto,).at(col),
229- inset: 6pt,
230- [ Metric] , [ Value] , [ Source] ,
231- [ Fortune 500 companies using AI agents] ,
232- [ 80%] ,
233- [ Microsoft Security Blog, Feb 2026] ,
234- [ Coding tasks that are AI-assisted] ,
235- [ ~ 60%] ,
236- [ Anthropic Agentic Coding Trends, 2026] ,
237- [ Enterprises already using AI agents] ,
238- [ 65%] ,
239- [ CrewAI State of Agentic AI, Feb 2026] ,
240- [ MCP servers publicly visible] ,
241- [ 8,000+] ,
242- [ Security researchers, Feb 2026] ,
243- [ MCP SDK monthly downloads] ,
244- [ 97M+] ,
245- [ npm/PyPI, Jan 2026] ,
246- [ Projects with AGENTS.md] ,
247- [ 60,000+] ,
248- [ GitHub, Jan 2026] ,
249- )
250- ]
165+ | Metric | Value | Source |
166+ | --- | --- | --- |
167+ | Fortune 500 companies using AI agents | 80% | Microsoft Security Blog, Feb 2026 |
168+ | Coding tasks that are AI-assisted | ~ 60% | Anthropic Agentic Coding Trends, 2026 |
169+ | Enterprises already using AI agents | 65% | CrewAI State of Agentic AI, Feb 2026 |
170+ | MCP servers publicly visible | 8,000+ | Security researchers, Feb 2026 |
171+ | MCP SDK monthly downloads | 97M+ | npm/PyPI, Jan 2026 |
172+ | Projects with AGENTS.md | 60,000+ | GitHub, Jan 2026 |
251173
252174## Why "agentic engineering" is a discipline
253175Building with agents isn’t just "using AI tools." It requires new
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