The one test
Use an agent when the model must choose the next step after seeing tool results. Use a script when the steps are known in advance.
A script is not a downgrade. For many hackathon features, it is safer, cheaper, and easier to debug.
When agents fit
An agent fits when the path changes based on messy input or tool results. Example: a support assistant that reads a complaint, checks order status, decides whether to ask a follow-up question, then drafts a reply.
The model is useful here because it makes judgments between steps. It decides whether to call a tool based on the user request and the tool description.
When scripts win
Use a script when the workflow is deterministic. That means the inputs, steps, and outputs are fully known before the run starts.
Example: read a CSV of expenses, group by category, create a chart, and save a PDF. No model needs to decide the next action after each result.
Ask these questions
Do each one yourself, then tap it to tick it off. The ticks are only a checklist for you: they are not marked or scored.
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Common mistake
Do not use an agent just because the workflow has many steps. Multi-step work can still be a plain script if the order is fixed.
Older advice often says agents are for all multi-step tasks. That is too broad. Bounded workflows with loops, branches, parallel calls, and calculations can still be handled without an open-ended agent loop.
Repo note example
Add a short note like this to your public repo. Keep it honest. Judges and recruiters want to see that you know the trade-off.
Agent vs script note
This project uses a tool-calling agent for the complaint triage flow.
Why an agent:
- The user message can be vague or incomplete.
- The next step depends on tool results.
- The agent may need to ask a follow-up question before acting.
- The agent chooses between order_lookup, refund_policy_lookup, and draft_reply.
Where I would replace it with a script:
- Nightly export of all closed complaints to CSV.
- Fixed refund report generation.
- Sending the same reminder email to users after 48 hours.
Those jobs have known steps and do not need model judgment between tool calls.Good repo signal
Name the boring parts you would not make agentic. This makes your project look more production-minded.
For example, payment retries, database migrations, scheduled reports, and fixed UPI reconciliation flows are usually scripts or jobs, not agents.
Do this now
Do each one yourself, then tap it to tick it off. The ticks are only a checklist for you: they are not marked or scored.
0 of 5 done