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

# Build an agent

> Agent Starter — goal, Registry, Commerce Gateway, Loop guard, result. Developer accelerator example only.

# Build an agent (C11 / C12)

**Agent Starter** is the canonical **developer accelerator** for composing a **Commerce Agent** in code: define a goal, reach the registry, execute through **Commerce Gateway**, apply a **Loop Engine**–style guard, then return a recorded outcome.

**C12 — Say it this way:** agents use **Registry to discover**, **Gateway to act**, and **Loop Engine to govern**. Do **not** describe agents as an autonomous AI platform, agent product, or a system separate from the gateway.

<Warning>
  Agent Starter is an **example** (CLI + config in the monorepo). It is **not** a Better Data product feature, billing SKU, or workspace module.
</Warning>

## What you get

| Step | Surface                 | In this starter                                                                                                                              |
| ---- | ----------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 1    | **Goal**                | `goal.query` in `agent.config.json`                                                                                                          |
| 2    | **Query Registry**      | HTTP ping to `registry.endpointUrl` (swap for Registry MCP JSON-RPC in production)                                                           |
| 3    | **Execute via Gateway** | `POST` to `gateway.baseUrl` + `queryPath` with bearer token (same contract as [Commerce Demo](/getting-started/introduction) / demo-gateway) |
| 4    | **Loop Engine guard**   | Pure TypeScript policy + confidence floor (illustrative; replace with real Loop Engine APIs)                                                 |
| 5    | **Return result**       | JSON on stdout                                                                                                                               |

The same composition is described in [Commerce Agent pattern (C9)](/reference/commerce-agent-pattern) and shown interactively in **Commerce Demo** (governed workflow).

## Monorepo package

* Path: **`packages/agent-starter`**
* Copy `agent.config.example.json` → `agent.config.json`, set `GATEWAY_API_TOKEN` (or the env name in config), then:

```bash theme={null}
cd packages/agent-starter
pnpm install
pnpm dev -- --config=agent.config.json
```

Full README lives next to the code.

## Configuration (minimal)

* **Registry** — `registry.endpointUrl` + `mode: "httpPing"` (GET reachability). Production agents should call **Registry MCP** tools (`@shop`, gateway resolution).
* **Gateway** — `gateway.baseUrl`, `gateway.bearerTokenEnv`, optional `queryPath` (default `/api/gateway/query`).
* **Loop guard** — `loopGuard.policy`, `minConfidence`, `blockWrites` (aligned with the governed demo rail, not a live Loop Engine deployment).

## Related

* [Commerce Agent pattern (C9)](/reference/commerce-agent-pattern)
* [Commerce Gateway](/integrations/commerce-gateway)
* [MCP surfaces](/reference/mcp-surfaces)
* [Platform — Loops](/platform/loops)