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

# Create an agent

> Set up a custom agent for your team, step by step.

Custom agents let you build AI teammates tailored to specific roles and workflows. Here's how to create one.

## Before you start

Think through these questions before you begin:

* **What's this agent for?** Be specific. An agent with a clear role gives better results than a general one.
* **What tools should it read?** Which connected apps will this agent draw from?
* **What actions should it take, and what should it wait on?** See [Agent Permissions](/agents/agent-permissions).

## Create a custom agent

<Steps>
  <Step title="Name your agent">
    Choose a name your team will recognize and remember. This is how they'll tag it in conversations: `@[name]`.

    Use a clear, descriptive name. A recognizable name makes the agent feel like a teammate, not a tool.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the role">
    Write a short role description, one or two sentences. This is what your team sees when they look up who to tag.

    Example: *"Handles contract reviews, compliance questions, and policy summaries for the team."*
  </Step>

  <Step title="Write the instructions">
    Instructions tell the agent how to behave: what to prioritize, how to respond, what to avoid.

    See [Agent Instructions](/agents/agent-instructions) for guidance on writing good instructions.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add artifacts">
    Upload documents, tables, or other reference material the agent should use as context. Brand guides, policy docs, playbooks, templates, anything that helps the agent do its job better.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Connect apps">
    Give this agent access to specific apps from 500+ integrations: CRM, project management, analytics, developer tools, communication, and more. Each agent can have its own set of connections relevant to its role.

    A legal agent probably needs access to your policy docs and legal folders, not your CRM.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save and test">
    Save the agent, open a Space where it's available, and tag it with `@[name]` to test it with a real question.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  You can have multiple agents in the same Space. Your team tags whichever one they need with `@`, and each agent responds from its own instructions, artifacts, and connected apps.
</Tip>

## Tips for a useful agent

* **Give it a specific role, not a general one.** "Answer any question" is less useful than "summarize customer support threads and surface patterns."
* **Test with real questions.** Use context your team would actually ask about to see how the agent responds.
* **Iterate on instructions.** The first version rarely gets everything right. Refine based on what your team actually needs from it.

## Related

* [Custom agents](/agents/custom-agents)
* [Agent instructions](/agents/agent-instructions)
* [Agent permissions](/agents/agent-permissions)
* [Connections](/connections/overview)


## Related topics

- [Welcome to Hops](/docs/index.md)
- [Custom agents](/docs/agents/custom-agents.md)
- [Create a Space](/docs/spaces/create-a-space.md)
- [Agent permissions](/docs/agents/agent-permissions.md)
- [Agent instructions](/docs/agents/agent-instructions.md)