docs: add Agent Capabilities overview page and improve Skills docs

- New 'Agent Capabilities' page explaining all 5 extension types (Tools, MCPs, Apps, Skills, Knowledge) with comparison table and decision guide
- Rewrite Skills page with practical examples showing Skills + Tools patterns, common FAQ, and Skills vs Knowledge comparison
- Add cross-reference callout on Tools page linking to the capabilities overview
- Add agent-capabilities to Core Concepts navigation (after agents)

docs/docs.json

@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@
                     "group": "Core Concepts",
                     "pages": [
                       "en/concepts/agents",
+                      "en/concepts/agent-capabilities",
                       "en/concepts/tasks",
                       "en/concepts/crews",
                       "en/concepts/flows",

docs/en/concepts/agent-capabilities.mdx

@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+---
+title: "Agent Capabilities"
+description: "Understand the five ways to extend CrewAI agents: Tools, MCPs, Apps, Skills, and Knowledge."
+icon: puzzle-piece
+mode: "wide"
+---
+
+## Overview
+
+CrewAI agents can be extended with **five distinct capability types**, each serving a different purpose. Understanding when to use each one — and how they work together — is key to building effective agents.
+
+<CardGroup cols={2}>
+  <Card title="Tools" icon="wrench" href="/en/concepts/tools" color="#3B82F6">
+    **Callable functions** — give agents the ability to take action. Web searches, file operations, API calls, code execution.
+  </Card>
+  <Card title="MCP Servers" icon="plug" href="/en/mcp/overview" color="#8B5CF6">
+    **Remote tool servers** — connect agents to external tool servers via the Model Context Protocol. Same effect as tools, but hosted externally.
+  </Card>
+  <Card title="Apps" icon="grid-2" color="#EC4899">
+    **Platform integrations** — connect agents to SaaS apps (Gmail, Slack, Jira, Salesforce) via CrewAI's managed OAuth layer.
+  </Card>
+  <Card title="Skills" icon="bolt" href="/en/concepts/skills" color="#F59E0B">
+    **Domain expertise** — inject instructions, guidelines, and reference material into agent prompts. Skills tell agents *how to think*.
+  </Card>
+  <Card title="Knowledge" icon="book" href="/en/concepts/knowledge" color="#10B981">
+    **Retrieved facts** — provide agents with data from documents, files, and URLs via semantic search (RAG). Knowledge gives agents *what to know*.
+  </Card>
+</CardGroup>
+
+---
+
+## The Key Distinction
+
+The most important thing to understand: **these capabilities fall into two categories**.
+
+### Action Capabilities (Tools, MCPs, Apps)
+
+These give agents the ability to **do things** — call APIs, read files, search the web, send emails. At execution time, all three resolve into the same internal format (`BaseTool` instances) and appear in a unified tool list the agent can call.
+
+```python
+from crewai import Agent
+from crewai_tools import SerperDevTool, FileReadTool
+
+agent = Agent(
+    role="Researcher",
+    goal="Find and compile market data",
+    backstory="Expert market analyst",
+    tools=[SerperDevTool(), FileReadTool()],  # Local tools
+    mcps=["https://mcp.example.com/sse"],     # Remote MCP server tools
+    apps=["gmail", "google_sheets"],           # Platform integrations
+)
+```
+
+### Context Capabilities (Skills, Knowledge)
+
+These modify the agent's **prompt** — injecting expertise, instructions, or retrieved data before the agent starts reasoning. They don't give agents new actions; they shape how agents think and what information they have access to.
+
+```python
+from crewai import Agent
+
+agent = Agent(
+    role="Security Auditor",
+    goal="Audit cloud infrastructure for vulnerabilities",
+    backstory="Expert in cloud security with 10 years of experience",
+    skills=["./skills/security-audit"],        # Domain instructions
+    knowledge_sources=[pdf_source, url_source], # Retrieved facts
+)
+```
+
+---
+
+## When to Use What
+
+| You need...                                       | Use               | Example                                  |
+| :------------------------------------------------ | :---------------- | :--------------------------------------- |
+| Agent to search the web                           | **Tools**         | `tools=[SerperDevTool()]`                |
+| Agent to call a remote API via MCP                | **MCPs**          | `mcps=["https://api.example.com/sse"]`   |
+| Agent to send emails via Gmail                    | **Apps**          | `apps=["gmail"]`                         |
+| Agent to follow specific procedures               | **Skills**        | `skills=["./skills/code-review"]`        |
+| Agent to reference company docs                   | **Knowledge**     | `knowledge_sources=[pdf_source]`         |
+| Agent to search the web AND follow review guidelines | **Tools + Skills** | Use both together                     |
+
+---
+
+## Combining Capabilities
+
+In practice, agents often use **multiple capability types together**. Here's a realistic example:
+
+```python
+from crewai import Agent
+from crewai_tools import SerperDevTool, FileReadTool, CodeInterpreterTool
+
+# A fully-equipped research agent
+researcher = Agent(
+    role="Senior Research Analyst",
+    goal="Produce comprehensive market analysis reports",
+    backstory="Expert analyst with deep industry knowledge",
+
+    # ACTION: What the agent can DO
+    tools=[
+        SerperDevTool(),         # Search the web
+        FileReadTool(),          # Read local files
+        CodeInterpreterTool(),   # Run Python code for analysis
+    ],
+    mcps=["https://data-api.example.com/sse"],  # Access remote data API
+    apps=["google_sheets"],                      # Write to Google Sheets
+
+    # CONTEXT: What the agent KNOWS
+    skills=["./skills/research-methodology"],    # How to conduct research
+    knowledge_sources=[company_docs],            # Company-specific data
+)
+```
+
+---
+
+## Comparison Table
+
+| Feature | Tools | MCPs | Apps | Skills | Knowledge |
+| :--- | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: |
+| **Gives agent actions** | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
+| **Modifies prompt** | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
+| **Requires code** | Yes | Config only | Config only | Markdown only | Config only |
+| **Runs locally** | Yes | Depends | No (AMP API) | N/A | Yes |
+| **Needs API keys** | Per tool | Per server | OAuth via AMP | No | Embedder only |
+| **Set on Agent** | `tools=[]` | `mcps=[]` | `apps=[]` | `skills=[]` | `knowledge_sources=[]` |
+| **Set on Crew** | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | `skills=[]` | `knowledge_sources=[]` |
+
+---
+
+## Deep Dives
+
+Ready to learn more about each capability type?
+
+<CardGroup cols={2}>
+  <Card title="Tools" icon="wrench" href="/en/concepts/tools">
+    Create custom tools, use the 75+ OSS catalog, configure caching and async execution.
+  </Card>
+  <Card title="MCP Integration" icon="plug" href="/en/mcp/overview">
+    Connect to MCP servers via stdio, SSE, or HTTP. Filter tools, configure auth.
+  </Card>
+  <Card title="Skills" icon="bolt" href="/en/concepts/skills">
+    Build skill packages with SKILL.md, inject domain expertise, use progressive disclosure.
+  </Card>
+  <Card title="Knowledge" icon="book" href="/en/concepts/knowledge">
+    Add knowledge from PDFs, CSVs, URLs, and more. Configure embedders and retrieval.
+  </Card>
+</CardGroup>

docs/en/concepts/skills.mdx

@@ -1,27 +1,186 @@
 ---
 title: Skills
-description: Filesystem-based skill packages that inject context into agent prompts.
+description: Filesystem-based skill packages that inject domain expertise and instructions into agent prompts.
 icon: bolt
 mode: "wide"
 ---
 
 ## Overview
 
-Skills are self-contained directories that provide agents with domain-specific instructions, references, and assets. Each skill is defined by a `SKILL.md` file with YAML frontmatter and a markdown body.
+Skills are self-contained directories that provide agents with **domain-specific instructions, guidelines, and reference material**. Each skill is defined by a `SKILL.md` file with YAML frontmatter and a markdown body.
 
-Skills use **progressive disclosure** — metadata is loaded first, full instructions only when activated, and resource catalogs only when needed.
+When activated, a skill's instructions are injected directly into the agent's task prompt — giving the agent expertise without requiring any code changes.
 
-## Directory Structure
+<Note type="info" title="Skills vs Tools — The Key Distinction">
+**Skills are NOT tools.** This is the most common point of confusion.
+
+- **Skills** inject *instructions and context* into the agent's prompt. They tell the agent *how to think* about a problem.
+- **Tools** give the agent *callable functions* to take action (search, read files, call APIs).
+
+You often need **both**: skills for expertise, tools for action. They are configured independently and complement each other.
+</Note>
+
+---
+
+## Quick Start
+
+### 1. Create a Skill Directory
 
 ```
-my-skill/
-├── SKILL.md            # Required — frontmatter + instructions
-├── scripts/            # Optional — executable scripts
-├── references/         # Optional — reference documents
-└── assets/             # Optional — static files (configs, data)
+skills/
+└── code-review/
+    ├── SKILL.md          # Required — instructions
+    ├── references/       # Optional — reference docs
+    │   └── style-guide.md
+    └── scripts/          # Optional — executable scripts
 ```
 
-The directory name must match the `name` field in `SKILL.md`.
+### 2. Write Your SKILL.md
+
+```markdown
+---
+name: code-review
+description: Guidelines for conducting thorough code reviews with focus on security and performance.
+metadata:
+  author: your-team
+  version: "1.0"
+---
+
+## Code Review Guidelines
+
+When reviewing code, follow this checklist:
+
+1. **Security**: Check for injection vulnerabilities, auth bypasses, and data exposure
+2. **Performance**: Look for N+1 queries, unnecessary allocations, and blocking calls
+3. **Readability**: Ensure clear naming, appropriate comments, and consistent style
+4. **Testing**: Verify adequate test coverage for new functionality
+
+### Severity Levels
+- **Critical**: Security vulnerabilities, data loss risks → block merge
+- **Major**: Performance issues, logic errors → request changes
+- **Minor**: Style issues, naming suggestions → approve with comments
+```
+
+### 3. Attach to an Agent
+
+```python
+from crewai import Agent
+from crewai_tools import GithubSearchTool, FileReadTool
+
+reviewer = Agent(
+    role="Senior Code Reviewer",
+    goal="Review pull requests for quality and security issues",
+    backstory="Staff engineer with expertise in secure coding practices.",
+    skills=["./skills"],                          # Injects review guidelines
+    tools=[GithubSearchTool(), FileReadTool()],   # Lets agent read code
+)
+```
+
+The agent now has both **expertise** (from the skill) and **capabilities** (from the tools).
+
+---
+
+## Skills + Tools: Working Together
+
+Here are common patterns showing how skills and tools complement each other:
+
+### Pattern 1: Skills Only (Domain Expertise, No Actions Needed)
+
+Use when the agent needs specific instructions but doesn't need to call external services:
+
+```python
+agent = Agent(
+    role="Technical Writer",
+    goal="Write clear API documentation",
+    backstory="Expert technical writer",
+    skills=["./skills/api-docs-style"],  # Writing guidelines and templates
+    # No tools needed — agent writes based on provided context
+)
+```
+
+### Pattern 2: Tools Only (Actions, No Special Expertise)
+
+Use when the agent needs to take action but doesn't need domain-specific instructions:
+
+```python
+from crewai_tools import SerperDevTool, ScrapeWebsiteTool
+
+agent = Agent(
+    role="Web Researcher",
+    goal="Find information about a topic",
+    backstory="Skilled at finding information online",
+    tools=[SerperDevTool(), ScrapeWebsiteTool()],  # Can search and scrape
+    # No skills needed — general research doesn't need special guidelines
+)
+```
+
+### Pattern 3: Skills + Tools (Expertise AND Actions)
+
+The most common real-world pattern. The skill provides *how* to approach the work; tools provide *what* the agent can do:
+
+```python
+from crewai_tools import SerperDevTool, FileReadTool, CodeInterpreterTool
+
+analyst = Agent(
+    role="Security Analyst",
+    goal="Audit infrastructure for vulnerabilities",
+    backstory="Expert in cloud security and compliance",
+    skills=["./skills/security-audit"],   # Audit methodology and checklists
+    tools=[
+        SerperDevTool(),                  # Research known vulnerabilities
+        FileReadTool(),                   # Read config files
+        CodeInterpreterTool(),            # Run analysis scripts
+    ],
+)
+```
+
+### Pattern 4: Skills + MCPs
+
+Skills work alongside MCP servers the same way they work with tools:
+
+```python
+agent = Agent(
+    role="Data Analyst",
+    goal="Analyze customer data and generate reports",
+    backstory="Expert data analyst with strong statistical background",
+    skills=["./skills/data-analysis"],           # Analysis methodology
+    mcps=["https://data-warehouse.example.com/sse"],  # Remote data access
+)
+```
+
+### Pattern 5: Skills + Apps
+
+Skills can guide how an agent uses platform integrations:
+
+```python
+agent = Agent(
+    role="Customer Support Agent",
+    goal="Respond to customer inquiries professionally",
+    backstory="Experienced support representative",
+    skills=["./skills/support-playbook"],  # Response templates and escalation rules
+    apps=["gmail", "zendesk"],             # Can send emails and update tickets
+)
+```
+
+---
+
+## Crew-Level Skills
+
+Skills can be set on a crew to apply to **all agents**:
+
+```python
+from crewai import Crew
+
+crew = Crew(
+    agents=[researcher, writer, reviewer],
+    tasks=[research_task, write_task, review_task],
+    skills=["./skills"],  # All agents get these skills
+)
+```
+
+Agent-level skills take priority — if the same skill is discovered at both levels, the agent's version is used.
+
+---
 
 ## SKILL.md Format
 
@@ -34,7 +193,7 @@ compatibility: crewai>=0.1.0          # optional
 metadata:                              # optional
   author: your-name
   version: "1.0"
-allowed-tools: web-search file-read   # optional, space-delimited
+allowed-tools: web-search file-read   # optional, experimental
 ---
 
 Instructions for the agent go here. This markdown body is injected
@@ -43,57 +202,46 @@ into the agent's prompt when the skill is activated.
 
 ### Frontmatter Fields
 
-| Field           | Required | Constraints                                                              |
+| Field           | Required | Description                                                              |
 | :-------------- | :------- | :----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| `name`          | Yes      | 1–64 chars. Lowercase alphanumeric and hyphens. No leading/trailing/consecutive hyphens. Must match directory name. |
+| `name`          | Yes      | 1–64 chars. Lowercase alphanumeric and hyphens. Must match directory name. |
 | `description`   | Yes      | 1–1024 chars. Describes what the skill does and when to use it.          |
 | `license`       | No       | License name or reference to a bundled license file.                     |
 | `compatibility` | No       | Max 500 chars. Environment requirements (products, packages, network).   |
 | `metadata`      | No       | Arbitrary string key-value mapping.                                      |
 | `allowed-tools` | No       | Space-delimited list of pre-approved tools. Experimental.                |
 
-## Usage
+---
 
-### Agent-level Skills
+## Directory Structure
 
-Pass skill directory paths to an agent:
-
-```python
-from crewai import Agent
-
-agent = Agent(
-    role="Researcher",
-    goal="Find relevant information",
-    backstory="An expert researcher.",
-    skills=["./skills"],  # discovers all skills in this directory
-)
+```
+my-skill/
+├── SKILL.md            # Required — frontmatter + instructions
+├── scripts/            # Optional — executable scripts
+├── references/         # Optional — reference documents
+└── assets/             # Optional — static files (configs, data)
 ```
 
-### Crew-level Skills
+The directory name must match the `name` field in `SKILL.md`. The `scripts/`, `references/`, and `assets/` directories are available on the skill's `path` for agents that need to reference files directly.
 
-Skill paths on a crew are merged into every agent:
+---
 
-```python
-from crewai import Crew
+## Pre-loading Skills
 
-crew = Crew(
-    agents=[agent],
-    tasks=[task],
-    skills=["./skills"],
-)
-```
-
-### Pre-loaded Skills
-
-You can also pass `Skill` objects directly:
+For more control, you can discover and activate skills programmatically:
 
 ```python
 from pathlib import Path
 from crewai.skills import discover_skills, activate_skill
 
+# Discover all skills in a directory
 skills = discover_skills(Path("./skills"))
+
+# Activate them (loads full SKILL.md body)
 activated = [activate_skill(s) for s in skills]
 
+# Pass to an agent
 agent = Agent(
     role="Researcher",
     goal="Find relevant information",
@@ -102,14 +250,57 @@ agent = Agent(
 )
 ```
 
+---
+
 ## How Skills Are Loaded
 
-Skills load progressively — only the data needed at each stage is read:
+Skills use **progressive disclosure** — only loading what's needed at each stage:
 
-| Stage            | What's loaded                                     | When               |
-| :--------------- | :------------------------------------------------ | :----------------- |
-| Discovery        | Name, description, frontmatter fields             | `discover_skills()` |
-| Activation       | Full SKILL.md body text                           | `activate_skill()` |
+| Stage      | What's loaded                         | When                |
+| :--------- | :------------------------------------ | :------------------ |
+| Discovery  | Name, description, frontmatter fields | `discover_skills()` |
+| Activation | Full SKILL.md body text               | `activate_skill()`  |
 
-During normal agent execution, skills are automatically discovered and activated. The `scripts/`, `references/`, and `assets/` directories are available on the skill's `path` for agents that need to reference files directly.
+During normal agent execution (passing directory paths via `skills=["./skills"]`), skills are automatically discovered and activated. The progressive loading only matters when using the programmatic API.
 
+---
+
+## Skills vs Knowledge
+
+Both skills and knowledge modify the agent's prompt, but they serve different purposes:
+
+| Aspect | Skills | Knowledge |
+| :--- | :--- | :--- |
+| **What it provides** | Instructions, procedures, guidelines | Facts, data, information |
+| **How it's stored** | Markdown files (SKILL.md) | Embedded in vector store (ChromaDB) |
+| **How it's retrieved** | Entire body injected into prompt | Semantic search finds relevant chunks |
+| **Best for** | Methodology, checklists, style guides | Company docs, product info, reference data |
+| **Set via** | `skills=["./skills"]` | `knowledge_sources=[source]` |
+
+**Rule of thumb:** If the agent needs to follow a *process*, use a skill. If the agent needs to reference *data*, use knowledge.
+
+---
+
+## Common Questions
+
+<AccordionGroup>
+  <Accordion title="Do I need to set skills AND tools?">
+    It depends on your use case. Skills and tools are **independent** — you can use either, both, or neither.
+
+    - **Skills alone**: When the agent needs expertise but no external actions (e.g., writing with style guidelines)
+    - **Tools alone**: When the agent needs actions but no special methodology (e.g., simple web search)
+    - **Both**: When the agent needs expertise AND actions (e.g., security audit with specific checklists AND ability to scan code)
+  </Accordion>
+
+  <Accordion title="Do skills automatically provide tools?">
+    **No.** The `allowed-tools` field in SKILL.md is experimental metadata only — it does not provision or inject any tools. You must always set tools separately via `tools=[]`, `mcps=[]`, or `apps=[]`.
+  </Accordion>
+
+  <Accordion title="What happens if I set the same skill on both an agent and its crew?">
+    The agent-level skill takes priority. Skills are deduplicated by name — the agent's skills are processed first, so if the same skill name appears at both levels, the agent's version is used.
+  </Accordion>
+
+  <Accordion title="How large can a SKILL.md body be?">
+    There's a soft warning at 50,000 characters, but no hard limit. Keep skills focused and concise for best results — large prompt injections can dilute the agent's attention.
+  </Accordion>
+</AccordionGroup>

docs/en/concepts/tools.mdx

@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ mode: "wide"
 CrewAI tools empower agents with capabilities ranging from web searching and data analysis to collaboration and delegating tasks among coworkers.
 This documentation outlines how to create, integrate, and leverage these tools within the CrewAI framework, including a new focus on collaboration tools.
 
+<Note type="info" title="Tools are one of five agent capability types">
+  Tools give agents **callable functions** to take action. They work alongside [MCPs](/en/mcp/overview) (remote tool servers), [Apps](/en/concepts/agent-capabilities) (platform integrations), [Skills](/en/concepts/skills) (domain expertise), and [Knowledge](/en/concepts/knowledge) (retrieved facts). See the [Agent Capabilities](/en/concepts/agent-capabilities) overview to understand when to use each.
+</Note>
+
 ## What is a Tool?
 
 A tool in CrewAI is a skill or function that agents can utilize to perform various actions.

lib/crewai/pyproject.toml

@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ dependencies = [
     "uv~=0.9.13",
     "aiosqlite~=0.21.0",
     "pyyaml~=6.0",
-    "lancedb>=0.29.2",
+    "lancedb>=0.29.2,<0.30.1",
 ]
 
 [project.urls]

lib/crewai/src/crewai/__init__.py

@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import warnings
 
 from crewai.agent.core import Agent
 from crewai.agent.planning_config import PlanningConfig
-from crewai.agents.crew_agent_executor import CrewAgentExecutor
 from crewai.crew import Crew
 from crewai.crews.crew_output import CrewOutput
 from crewai.flow.flow import Flow
@@ -20,9 +19,6 @@ from crewai.tasks.task_output import TaskOutput
 from crewai.telemetry.telemetry import Telemetry
 
 
-CrewAgentExecutor.model_rebuild()
-
-
 def _suppress_pydantic_deprecation_warnings() -> None:
     """Suppress Pydantic deprecation warnings using targeted monkey patch."""
     original_warn = warnings.warn

lib/crewai/src/crewai/agents/crew_agent_executor.py

@@ -14,15 +14,8 @@ import inspect
 import logging
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Literal, cast
 
-from pydantic import (
-    BaseModel,
-    ConfigDict,
-    Field,
-    PrivateAttr,
-    ValidationError,
-    model_validator,
-)
-from typing_extensions import Self
+from pydantic import BaseModel, GetCoreSchemaHandler, ValidationError
+from pydantic_core import CoreSchema, core_schema
 
 from crewai.agents.agent_builder.base_agent_executor_mixin import CrewAgentExecutorMixin
 from crewai.agents.parser import (
@@ -30,7 +23,6 @@ from crewai.agents.parser import (
     AgentFinish,
     OutputParserError,
 )
-from crewai.agents.tools_handler import ToolsHandler
 from crewai.core.providers.human_input import ExecutorContext, get_provider
 from crewai.events.event_bus import crewai_event_bus
 from crewai.events.types.logging_events import (
@@ -46,9 +38,6 @@ from crewai.hooks.tool_hooks import (
     get_after_tool_call_hooks,
     get_before_tool_call_hooks,
 )
-from crewai.llms.base_llm import BaseLLM
-from crewai.tools.base_tool import BaseTool
-from crewai.tools.structured_tool import CrewStructuredTool
 from crewai.utilities.agent_utils import (
     aget_llm_response,
     convert_tools_to_openai_schema,
@@ -70,65 +59,106 @@ from crewai.utilities.constants import TRAINING_DATA_FILE
 from crewai.utilities.file_store import aget_all_files, get_all_files
 from crewai.utilities.i18n import I18N, get_i18n
 from crewai.utilities.printer import Printer
-from crewai.utilities.prompts import StandardPromptResult, SystemPromptResult
 from crewai.utilities.string_utils import sanitize_tool_name
 from crewai.utilities.tool_utils import (
     aexecute_tool_and_check_finality,
     execute_tool_and_check_finality,
 )
 from crewai.utilities.training_handler import CrewTrainingHandler
-from crewai.utilities.types import LLMMessage
 
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from crewai.agent import Agent
+    from crewai.agents.tools_handler import ToolsHandler
     from crewai.crew import Crew
+    from crewai.llms.base_llm import BaseLLM
     from crewai.task import Task
+    from crewai.tools.base_tool import BaseTool
+    from crewai.tools.structured_tool import CrewStructuredTool
     from crewai.tools.tool_types import ToolResult
+    from crewai.utilities.prompts import StandardPromptResult, SystemPromptResult
+    from crewai.utilities.types import LLMMessage
 
 
-class CrewAgentExecutor(BaseModel, CrewAgentExecutorMixin):
+class CrewAgentExecutor(CrewAgentExecutorMixin):
     """Executor for crew agents.
 
     Manages the execution lifecycle of an agent including prompt formatting,
     LLM interactions, tool execution, and feedback handling.
     """
 
-    model_config = ConfigDict(arbitrary_types_allowed=True, populate_by_name=True)
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        llm: BaseLLM,
+        task: Task,
+        crew: Crew,
+        agent: Agent,
+        prompt: SystemPromptResult | StandardPromptResult,
+        max_iter: int,
+        tools: list[CrewStructuredTool],
+        tools_names: str,
+        stop_words: list[str],
+        tools_description: str,
+        tools_handler: ToolsHandler,
+        step_callback: Any = None,
+        original_tools: list[BaseTool] | None = None,
+        function_calling_llm: BaseLLM | Any | None = None,
+        respect_context_window: bool = False,
+        request_within_rpm_limit: Callable[[], bool] | None = None,
+        callbacks: list[Any] | None = None,
+        response_model: type[BaseModel] | None = None,
+        i18n: I18N | None = None,
+    ) -> None:
+        """Initialize executor.
 
-    llm: BaseLLM
-    task: Task | None = None
-    crew: Crew | None = None
-    agent: Agent
-    prompt: SystemPromptResult | StandardPromptResult
-    max_iter: int
-    tools: list[CrewStructuredTool]
-    tools_names: str
-    stop: list[str] = Field(alias="stop_words")
-    tools_description: str
-    tools_handler: ToolsHandler
-    step_callback: Any = None
-    original_tools: list[BaseTool] = Field(default_factory=list)
-    function_calling_llm: BaseLLM | Any | None = None
-    respect_context_window: bool = False
-    request_within_rpm_limit: Callable[[], bool] | None = None
-    callbacks: list[Any] = Field(default_factory=list)
-    response_model: type[BaseModel] | None = None
-    i18n: I18N | None = Field(default=None, exclude=True)
-    ask_for_human_input: bool = False
-    messages: list[LLMMessage] = Field(default_factory=list)
-    iterations: int = 0
-    log_error_after: int = 3
-    before_llm_call_hooks: list[Callable[..., Any]] = Field(default_factory=list)
-    after_llm_call_hooks: list[Callable[..., Any]] = Field(default_factory=list)
-    _i18n: I18N = PrivateAttr()
-    _printer: Printer = PrivateAttr(default_factory=Printer)
-
-    @model_validator(mode="after")
-    def _init_executor(self) -> Self:
-        self._i18n = self.i18n or get_i18n()
+        Args:
+            llm: Language model instance.
+            task: Task to execute.
+            crew: Crew instance.
+            agent: Agent to execute.
+            prompt: Prompt templates.
+            max_iter: Maximum iterations.
+            tools: Available tools.
+            tools_names: Tool names string.
+            stop_words: Stop word list.
+            tools_description: Tool descriptions.
+            tools_handler: Tool handler instance.
+            step_callback: Optional step callback.
+            original_tools: Original tool list.
+            function_calling_llm: Optional function calling LLM.
+            respect_context_window: Respect context limits.
+            request_within_rpm_limit: RPM limit check function.
+            callbacks: Optional callbacks list.
+            response_model: Optional Pydantic model for structured outputs.
+        """
+        self._i18n: I18N = i18n or get_i18n()
+        self.llm = llm
+        self.task = task
+        self.agent = agent
+        self.crew = crew
+        self.prompt = prompt
+        self.tools = tools
+        self.tools_names = tools_names
+        self.stop = stop_words
+        self.max_iter = max_iter
+        self.callbacks = callbacks or []
+        self._printer: Printer = Printer()
+        self.tools_handler = tools_handler
+        self.original_tools = original_tools or []
+        self.step_callback = step_callback
+        self.tools_description = tools_description
+        self.function_calling_llm = function_calling_llm
+        self.respect_context_window = respect_context_window
+        self.request_within_rpm_limit = request_within_rpm_limit
+        self.response_model = response_model
+        self.ask_for_human_input = False
+        self.messages: list[LLMMessage] = []
+        self.iterations = 0
+        self.log_error_after = 3
+        self.before_llm_call_hooks: list[Callable[..., Any]] = []
+        self.after_llm_call_hooks: list[Callable[..., Any]] = []
         self.before_llm_call_hooks.extend(get_before_llm_call_hooks())
         self.after_llm_call_hooks.extend(get_after_llm_call_hooks())
         if self.llm:
@@ -141,7 +171,6 @@ class CrewAgentExecutor(BaseModel, CrewAgentExecutorMixin):
                     else self.stop
                 )
             )
-        return self
 
     @property
     def use_stop_words(self) -> bool:
@@ -1658,3 +1687,14 @@ class CrewAgentExecutor(BaseModel, CrewAgentExecutorMixin):
         return format_message_for_llm(
             self._i18n.slice("feedback_instructions").format(feedback=feedback)
         )
+
+    @classmethod
+    def __get_pydantic_core_schema__(
+        cls, _source_type: Any, _handler: GetCoreSchemaHandler
+    ) -> CoreSchema:
+        """Generate Pydantic core schema for BaseClient Protocol.
+
+        This allows the Protocol to be used in Pydantic models without
+        requiring arbitrary_types_allowed=True.
+        """
+        return core_schema.any_schema()

uv.lock

@@ -1243,7 +1243,7 @@ requires-dist = [
     { name = "json-repair", specifier = "~=0.25.2" },
     { name = "json5", specifier = "~=0.10.0" },
     { name = "jsonref", specifier = "~=1.1.0" },
-    { name = "lancedb", specifier = ">=0.29.2" },
+    { name = "lancedb", specifier = ">=0.29.2,<0.30.1" },
     { name = "litellm", marker = "extra == 'litellm'", specifier = ">=1.74.9,<=1.82.6" },
     { name = "mcp", specifier = "~=1.26.0" },
     { name = "mem0ai", marker = "extra == 'mem0'", specifier = "~=0.1.94" },