feat(appkit): agents() plugin, createAgent(def), and markdown-driven agents

knip.json

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
     "**/*.css",
     "packages/appkit/src/plugins/vector-search/**",
     "packages/appkit/src/plugin/index.ts",
+    "packages/appkit/src/plugin/to-plugin.ts",
     "packages/appkit/src/plugins/agents/index.ts",
     "packages/appkit/src/plugins/agents/tools/index.ts",
     "packages/appkit/src/plugins/agents/from-plugin.ts",

packages/appkit/package.json

@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@
     "@types/semver": "7.7.1",
     "dotenv": "16.6.1",
     "express": "4.22.0",
+    "js-yaml": "^4.1.1",
     "obug": "2.1.1",
     "pg": "8.18.0",
     "picocolors": "1.1.1",
@@ -108,6 +109,7 @@
     "@ai-sdk/openai": "4.0.0-beta.27",
     "@langchain/core": "^1.1.39",
     "@types/express": "4.17.25",
+    "@types/js-yaml": "^4.0.9",
     "@types/json-schema": "7.0.15",
     "@types/pg": "8.16.0",
     "@types/ws": "8.18.1",

packages/appkit/src/core/create-agent-def.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+import { ConfigurationError } from "../errors";
+import type { AgentDefinition } from "../plugins/agents/types";
+
+/**
+ * Pure factory for agent definitions. Returns the passed-in definition after
+ * cycle-detecting the sub-agent graph. Accepts the full `AgentDefinition` shape
+ * and is safe to call at module top-level.
+ *
+ * The returned value is a plain `AgentDefinition` — no adapter construction,
+ * no side effects. Register it with `agents({ agents: { name: def } })` or run
+ * it standalone via `runAgent(def, input)`.
+ *
+ * @example
+ * ```ts
+ * const support = createAgent({
+ *   instructions: "You help customers.",
+ *   model: "databricks-claude-sonnet-4-5",
+ *   tools: {
+ *     get_weather: tool({ ... }),
+ *   },
+ * });
+ * ```
+ */
+export function createAgent(def: AgentDefinition): AgentDefinition {
+  detectCycles(def);
+  return def;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Walks the `agents: { ... }` sub-agent tree via DFS and throws if a cycle is
+ * found. Cycles would cause infinite recursion at tool-invocation time.
+ */
+function detectCycles(def: AgentDefinition): void {
+  const visiting = new Set<AgentDefinition>();
+  const visited = new Set<AgentDefinition>();
+
+  const walk = (current: AgentDefinition, path: string[]): void => {
+    if (visited.has(current)) return;
+    if (visiting.has(current)) {
+      throw new ConfigurationError(
+        `Agent sub-agent cycle detected: ${path.join(" -> ")}`,
+      );
+    }
+    visiting.add(current);
+    for (const [childKey, child] of Object.entries(current.agents ?? {})) {
+      walk(child, [...path, childKey]);
+    }
+    visiting.delete(current);
+    visited.add(current);
+  };
+
+  walk(def, [def.name ?? "(root)"]);
+}

packages/appkit/src/core/run-agent.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,226 @@
+import { randomUUID } from "node:crypto";
+import type {
+  AgentAdapter,
+  AgentEvent,
+  AgentToolDefinition,
+  Message,
+} from "shared";
+import {
+  type FunctionTool,
+  functionToolToDefinition,
+  isFunctionTool,
+} from "../plugins/agents/tools/function-tool";
+import { isHostedTool } from "../plugins/agents/tools/hosted-tools";
+import type {
+  AgentDefinition,
+  AgentTool,
+  ToolkitEntry,
+} from "../plugins/agents/types";
+import { isToolkitEntry } from "../plugins/agents/types";
+
+export interface RunAgentInput {
+  /** Seed messages for the run. Either a single user string or a full message list. */
+  messages: string | Message[];
+  /** Abort signal for cancellation. */
+  signal?: AbortSignal;
+}
+
+export interface RunAgentResult {
+  /** Aggregated text output from all `message_delta` events. */
+  text: string;
+  /** Every event the adapter yielded, in order. Useful for inspection/tests. */
+  events: AgentEvent[];
+}
+
+/**
+ * Standalone agent execution without `createApp`. Resolves the adapter, binds
+ * inline tools, and drives the adapter's `run()` loop to completion.
+ *
+ * Limitations vs. running through the agents() plugin:
+ * - No OBO: there is no HTTP request, so plugin tools run as the service
+ *   principal (when they work at all).
+ * - Plugin tools (`ToolkitEntry`) are not supported — they require a live
+ *   `PluginContext` that only exists when registered in a `createApp`
+ *   instance. This function throws a clear error if encountered.
+ * - Sub-agents (`agents: { ... }` on the def) are executed as nested
+ *   `runAgent` calls with no shared thread state.
+ */
+export async function runAgent(
+  def: AgentDefinition,
+  input: RunAgentInput,
+): Promise<RunAgentResult> {
+  const adapter = await resolveAdapter(def);
+  const messages = normalizeMessages(input.messages, def.instructions);
+  const toolIndex = buildStandaloneToolIndex(def);
+  const tools = Array.from(toolIndex.values()).map((e) => e.def);
+
+  const signal = input.signal;
+
+  const executeTool = async (name: string, args: unknown): Promise<unknown> => {
+    const entry = toolIndex.get(name);
+    if (!entry) throw new Error(`Unknown tool: ${name}`);
+    if (entry.kind === "function") {
+      return entry.tool.execute(args as Record<string, unknown>);
+    }
+    if (entry.kind === "subagent") {
+      const subInput: RunAgentInput = {
+        messages:
+          typeof args === "object" &&
+          args !== null &&
+          typeof (args as { input?: unknown }).input === "string"
+            ? (args as { input: string }).input
+            : JSON.stringify(args),
+        signal,
+      };
+      const res = await runAgent(entry.agentDef, subInput);
+      return res.text;
+    }
+    throw new Error(
+      `runAgent: tool "${name}" is a ${entry.kind} tool. ` +
+        "Plugin toolkits and MCP tools are only usable via createApp({ plugins: [..., agents(...)] }).",
+    );
+  };
+
+  const events: AgentEvent[] = [];
+  let text = "";
+
+  const stream = adapter.run(
+    {
+      messages,
+      tools,
+      threadId: randomUUID(),
+      signal,
+    },
+    { executeTool, signal },
+  );
+
+  for await (const event of stream) {
+    if (signal?.aborted) break;
+    events.push(event);
+    if (event.type === "message_delta") {
+      text += event.content;
+    } else if (event.type === "message") {
+      text = event.content;
+    }
+  }
+
+  return { text, events };
+}
+
+async function resolveAdapter(def: AgentDefinition): Promise<AgentAdapter> {
+  const { model } = def;
+  if (!model) {
+    const { DatabricksAdapter } = await import("../agents/databricks");
+    return DatabricksAdapter.fromModelServing();
+  }
+  if (typeof model === "string") {
+    const { DatabricksAdapter } = await import("../agents/databricks");
+    return DatabricksAdapter.fromModelServing(model);
+  }
+  return await model;
+}
+
+function normalizeMessages(
+  input: string | Message[],
+  instructions: string,
+): Message[] {
+  const systemMessage: Message = {
+    id: "system",
+    role: "system",
+    content: instructions,
+    createdAt: new Date(),
+  };
+  if (typeof input === "string") {
+    return [
+      systemMessage,
+      {
+        id: randomUUID(),
+        role: "user",
+        content: input,
+        createdAt: new Date(),
+      },
+    ];
+  }
+  return [systemMessage, ...input];
+}
+
+type StandaloneEntry =
+  | {
+      kind: "function";
+      def: AgentToolDefinition;
+      tool: FunctionTool;
+    }
+  | {
+      kind: "subagent";
+      def: AgentToolDefinition;
+      agentDef: AgentDefinition;
+    }
+  | {
+      kind: "toolkit";
+      def: AgentToolDefinition;
+      entry: ToolkitEntry;
+    }
+  | {
+      kind: "hosted";
+      def: AgentToolDefinition;
+    };
+
+function buildStandaloneToolIndex(
+  def: AgentDefinition,
+): Map<string, StandaloneEntry> {
+  const index = new Map<string, StandaloneEntry>();
+
+  for (const [key, tool] of Object.entries(def.tools ?? {})) {
+    index.set(key, classifyTool(key, tool));
+  }
+
+  for (const [childKey, child] of Object.entries(def.agents ?? {})) {
+    const toolName = `agent-${childKey}`;
+    index.set(toolName, {
+      kind: "subagent",
+      agentDef: { ...child, name: child.name ?? childKey },
+      def: {
+        name: toolName,
+        description:
+          child.instructions.slice(0, 120) ||
+          `Delegate to the ${childKey} sub-agent`,
+        parameters: {
+          type: "object",
+          properties: {
+            input: {
+              type: "string",
+              description: "Message to send to the sub-agent.",
+            },
+          },
+          required: ["input"],
+        },
+      },
+    });
+  }
+
+  return index;
+}
+
+function classifyTool(key: string, tool: AgentTool): StandaloneEntry {
+  if (isToolkitEntry(tool)) {
+    return { kind: "toolkit", def: { ...tool.def, name: key }, entry: tool };
+  }
+  if (isFunctionTool(tool)) {
+    return {
+      kind: "function",
+      tool,
+      def: { ...functionToolToDefinition(tool), name: key },
+    };
+  }
+  if (isHostedTool(tool)) {
+    return {
+      kind: "hosted",
+      def: {
+        name: key,
+        description: `Hosted tool: ${tool.type}`,
+        parameters: { type: "object", properties: {} },
+      },
+    };
+  }
+  throw new Error(`runAgent: unrecognized tool shape at key "${key}"`);
+}

packages/appkit/src/index.ts

@@ -43,6 +43,12 @@ export {
 } from "./connectors/lakebase";
 export { getExecutionContext } from "./context";
 export { createApp } from "./core";
+export { createAgent } from "./core/create-agent-def";
+export {
+  type RunAgentInput,
+  type RunAgentResult,
+  runAgent,
+} from "./core/run-agent";
 // Errors
 export {
   AppKitError,
@@ -63,6 +69,19 @@ export {
   toPlugin,
 } from "./plugin";
 export { analytics, files, genie, lakebase, server, serving } from "./plugins";
+export {
+  type AgentDefinition,
+  type AgentsPluginConfig,
+  type AgentTool,
+  agents,
+  type BaseSystemPromptOption,
+  isToolkitEntry,
+  loadAgentFromFile,
+  loadAgentsFromDir,
+  type PromptContext,
+  type ToolkitEntry,
+  type ToolkitOptions,
+} from "./plugins/agents";
 export {
   type FunctionTool,
   type HostedTool,
@@ -72,12 +91,6 @@ export {
   type ToolConfig,
   tool,
 } from "./plugins/agents/tools";
-export {
-  type AgentTool,
-  isToolkitEntry,
-  type ToolkitEntry,
-  type ToolkitOptions,
-} from "./plugins/agents/types";
 // Files plugin types (for custom policy authoring)
 export type {
   FileAction,