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

# Custom agents

> Build an agent tailored to your team's workflow, with the instructions and connections you define.

Custom agents are AI agents your team builds for a specific role: marketing, sales, finance, legal, support — anything with a recurring workflow.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/hopsdocs/6g4tmvgWdeoeLgJC/images/custom-agents.gif?s=e6687d9204f5556a8c9a0b7781fe7d82" alt="Creating a custom agent" width="900" height="519" data-path="images/custom-agents.gif" />

## What you configure

| Setting                   | What it does                                                 |
| ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Name**                  | How your team tags it (`@[name]`)                            |
| **Agent managers**        | Who can edit the agent's settings                            |
| **Who can add to Spaces** | Which members can bring this agent into a Space              |
| **Instructions**          | Standing guidance that shapes tone, priorities, and behavior |
| **Connections**           | Per-agent access to specific apps (from 2,000+ integrations) |

## Create a custom agent

<Steps>
  <Step title="Start a new agent">
    Click **+** at the bottom of the left sidebar and choose to create a new agent.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Name it and pick a starting point">
    Give it a name your team will recognize. Pick a template (Blank, HR Agent, Marketing Agent, etc.) or describe what it should do.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Write the instructions">
    Define the agent's role, tone, and how it should respond. Use **Refine** to tighten wording. See the guidance below.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set managers and access">
    You're added as the first manager. Add other managers and control who can bring this agent into Spaces.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Connect apps">
    Under **Connections**, click **Connect app** to give the agent access to specific tools.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Publish changes">
    Click **Publish changes**. Open a Space where it's available and tag it with `@[name]`.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Add a custom agent to a Space

A custom agent isn't automatically available in every Space — you invite it into the Spaces where it should work.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/hopsdocs/6g4tmvgWdeoeLgJC/images/add-agents-to-teams.gif?s=e3414f3bab20d2ada69d8339fcd88277" alt="Inviting a custom agent into a Space from the Agents panel." width="1252" height="720" data-path="images/add-agents-to-teams.gif" />
</Frame>

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Agents panel">
    Inside your Space, open the **Agents** tab in the right rail.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add your custom agent">
    Click **Add agent** and pick the custom agent you built (or create a new one on the fly).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Tag it in chat">
    In the Space's chat, tag the agent with `@name`. It responds using its own instructions and connections, drawing on the Space's shared context.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Only add the agents a Space actually needs. Fewer, more specialized agents give sharper, less noisy responses.
</Tip>

See [Spaces overview](/docs/spaces/overview) for more on how agents work inside a Space.

## Writing good instructions

Instructions are capped at 2,000 characters. Cover:

* **Role** — what this agent is responsible for
* **Tone** — formal, direct, casual, technical
* **Format preferences** — bullets, prose, short or long
* **What to prioritize** — which tools, decisions, or context to lean on
* **What to avoid** — topics outside scope, assumptions it shouldn't make

Instructions can be **global** (everywhere) or **Space-specific** (override the global set in that Space).

**Example:**

```text theme={null}
You support the Acme Corp account's marketing work. Always reference the Acme brand guide in the Space Context document before drafting copy. Write in a professional but approachable tone. Keep deliverables short and action-oriented. Flag anything that contradicts the approved messaging framework.
```

<Tip>
  Write instructions as if you're onboarding a new team member to a specific role. If you find yourself writing more than 2,000 characters, move standing context into the [Space Context document](/docs/spaces/space-context) instead.
</Tip>

## Edit or delete an agent

Any agent manager can open the agent, click the **...** menu, and choose **Edit agent** to change its settings. Under **Danger zone**, an agent can be permanently deleted — this removes it from every Space and can't be undone.

## Related

* [Space Context document](/docs/spaces/space-context)
* [Connections](/docs/connections/overview)