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b1f49b1356
- Apps run locally (with CREWAI_PLATFORM_INTEGRATION_TOKEN env var), not remotely - Apps auth is an integration token, not OAuth - Updated comparison tables and card descriptions in en, pt-BR, ko, ar
148 lines
6.3 KiB
Plaintext
148 lines
6.3 KiB
Plaintext
---
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title: "Agent Capabilities"
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description: "Understand the five ways to extend CrewAI agents: Tools, MCPs, Apps, Skills, and Knowledge."
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icon: puzzle-piece
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mode: "wide"
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---
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## Overview
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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.
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<CardGroup cols={2}>
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<Card title="Tools" icon="wrench" href="/en/concepts/tools" color="#3B82F6">
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**Callable functions** — give agents the ability to take action. Web searches, file operations, API calls, code execution.
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</Card>
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<Card title="MCP Servers" icon="plug" href="/en/mcp/overview" color="#8B5CF6">
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**Remote tool servers** — connect agents to external tool servers via the Model Context Protocol. Same effect as tools, but hosted externally.
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</Card>
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<Card title="Apps" icon="grid-2" color="#EC4899">
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**Platform integrations** — connect agents to SaaS apps (Gmail, Slack, Jira, Salesforce) via CrewAI's platform. Runs locally with a platform integration token.
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</Card>
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<Card title="Skills" icon="bolt" href="/en/concepts/skills" color="#F59E0B">
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**Domain expertise** — inject instructions, guidelines, and reference material into agent prompts. Skills tell agents *how to think*.
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</Card>
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<Card title="Knowledge" icon="book" href="/en/concepts/knowledge" color="#10B981">
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**Retrieved facts** — provide agents with data from documents, files, and URLs via semantic search (RAG). Knowledge gives agents *what to know*.
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</Card>
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</CardGroup>
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---
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## The Key Distinction
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The most important thing to understand: **these capabilities fall into two categories**.
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### Action Capabilities (Tools, MCPs, Apps)
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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.
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```python
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from crewai import Agent
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from crewai_tools import SerperDevTool, FileReadTool
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agent = Agent(
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role="Researcher",
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goal="Find and compile market data",
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backstory="Expert market analyst",
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tools=[SerperDevTool(), FileReadTool()], # Local tools
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mcps=["https://mcp.example.com/sse"], # Remote MCP server tools
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apps=["gmail", "google_sheets"], # Platform integrations
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)
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```
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### Context Capabilities (Skills, Knowledge)
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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.
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```python
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from crewai import Agent
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agent = Agent(
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role="Security Auditor",
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goal="Audit cloud infrastructure for vulnerabilities",
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backstory="Expert in cloud security with 10 years of experience",
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skills=["./skills/security-audit"], # Domain instructions
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knowledge_sources=[pdf_source, url_source], # Retrieved facts
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)
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```
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---
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## When to Use What
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| You need... | Use | Example |
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| :------------------------------------------------ | :---------------- | :--------------------------------------- |
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| Agent to search the web | **Tools** | `tools=[SerperDevTool()]` |
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| Agent to call a remote API via MCP | **MCPs** | `mcps=["https://api.example.com/sse"]` |
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| Agent to send emails via Gmail | **Apps** | `apps=["gmail"]` |
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| Agent to follow specific procedures | **Skills** | `skills=["./skills/code-review"]` |
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| Agent to reference company docs | **Knowledge** | `knowledge_sources=[pdf_source]` |
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| Agent to search the web AND follow review guidelines | **Tools + Skills** | Use both together |
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---
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## Combining Capabilities
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In practice, agents often use **multiple capability types together**. Here's a realistic example:
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```python
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from crewai import Agent
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from crewai_tools import SerperDevTool, FileReadTool, CodeInterpreterTool
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# A fully-equipped research agent
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researcher = Agent(
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role="Senior Research Analyst",
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goal="Produce comprehensive market analysis reports",
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backstory="Expert analyst with deep industry knowledge",
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# ACTION: What the agent can DO
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tools=[
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SerperDevTool(), # Search the web
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FileReadTool(), # Read local files
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CodeInterpreterTool(), # Run Python code for analysis
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],
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mcps=["https://data-api.example.com/sse"], # Access remote data API
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apps=["google_sheets"], # Write to Google Sheets
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# CONTEXT: What the agent KNOWS
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skills=["./skills/research-methodology"], # How to conduct research
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knowledge_sources=[company_docs], # Company-specific data
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)
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```
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---
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## Comparison Table
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| Feature | Tools | MCPs | Apps | Skills | Knowledge |
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| :--- | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: |
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| **Gives agent actions** | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
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| **Modifies prompt** | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
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| **Requires code** | Yes | Config only | Config only | Markdown only | Config only |
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| **Runs locally** | Yes | Depends | Yes (with env var) | N/A | Yes |
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| **Needs API keys** | Per tool | Per server | Integration token | No | Embedder only |
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| **Set on Agent** | `tools=[]` | `mcps=[]` | `apps=[]` | `skills=[]` | `knowledge_sources=[]` |
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| **Set on Crew** | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | `skills=[]` | `knowledge_sources=[]` |
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---
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## Deep Dives
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Ready to learn more about each capability type?
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<CardGroup cols={2}>
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<Card title="Tools" icon="wrench" href="/en/concepts/tools">
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Create custom tools, use the 75+ OSS catalog, configure caching and async execution.
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</Card>
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<Card title="MCP Integration" icon="plug" href="/en/mcp/overview">
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Connect to MCP servers via stdio, SSE, or HTTP. Filter tools, configure auth.
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</Card>
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<Card title="Skills" icon="bolt" href="/en/concepts/skills">
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Build skill packages with SKILL.md, inject domain expertise, use progressive disclosure.
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</Card>
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<Card title="Knowledge" icon="book" href="/en/concepts/knowledge">
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Add knowledge from PDFs, CSVs, URLs, and more. Configure embedders and retrieval.
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</Card>
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</CardGroup>
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