Create an Agent
Every agent in Act starts from a template. A template is a data-defined agent (DDA): a single configuration that describes everything the agent senses, reasons about, acts on, and reflects on. You never write code. You fill in a template and deploy it.
You can get a starting template in two ways:
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Clone a Marketplace template. Pick a ready-made agent that HiveMQ built, then adapt it. This path is the fastest way to a working agent. See Start from a Marketplace Template.
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Draft one with Bea. Open the Create Agent dialog from the Act header and describe what you want in plain language. For example, "Draft an agent to monitor temperature and alert on anomalies". Bea then generates a first-draft template for you to refine.
Either path opens the Agent Builder, the editor where you shape the template before you deploy it.
The Agent Builder
The Agent Builder presents a left-hand Stages rail and a form panel on the right. Each stage shows a checkmark when it is complete and a dot when it is active. As you make changes, an Unsaved changes badge appears next to the title.
From the builder you can Save template at any time, Deploy agent once the required fields are valid, and download the template as YAML from the More actions menu (available after the template is saved).
Stages in the Agent Builder
The builder has seven stages. Each stage maps to a goal you work toward, and most stages have their own page in this guide.
| Builder Stage | Your Goal | Where to Configure It |
|---|---|---|
01: Agent Configuration |
Give the agent its identity, parameters, and AI model |
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02: Connections |
Connect the agent to the brokers, databases, and services it uses |
|
03: Sense |
Collect the live data the agent observes |
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04: Reason |
Decide what the data means and what to do about it |
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05: Actuate |
Carry out the chosen actions in the real world |
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06: Reflect |
Save memory and metrics to improve the next cycle |
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07: Termination |
Decide when the agent stops running |
The Sense, Reason, Actuate, and Reflect stages are the four-stage loop of the agent. The agent senses live data, reasons about it, actuates a response, and reflects on the outcome before the next cycle begins.
Set When the Agent Runs
Each cycle of the loop starts when a trigger fires: on an interval, on a schedule, or when a message arrives. Configure the trigger in the Agent Configuration stage. See Set a Trigger to Run an Agent Cycle.
Add Human Oversight
You decide how much independence the agent has. The range spans full autonomy to human approval for every action. Configure the oversight in the Agent Configuration stage. See Set Human Oversight.
Next Steps
When your template is ready, deploy it to an orchestrator so it can run alongside your brokers. See Deploy an Agent.