---
title: 'Key Concepts at a Glance'
description: 'A cheat sheet of what makes RunAgent different in 1 page'
icon: 'lightbulb'
---

import NeedHelp from '/snippets/need-help.mdx';

> TL;DR: RunAgent turns your Python AI agents into multi-language APIs with zero infrastructure headaches. Write once in Python, use everywhere.

## The Magic in 4 Bullets

<Cards num={2}>
  <Card title="Secure Isolation" icon="shield">
    **Sandboxed execution** - Each agent runs in its own secure, isolated environment, preventing resource conflicts and security issues.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Automatic Scaling" icon="chart-line">
    **Serverless architecture** - Automatically scales from zero to thousands of requests without manual configuration.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Cross-Language SDKs" icon="code">
    **Native APIs** - Call the same agent from Python, JavaScript, Go, Rust with language-idiomatic interfaces.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Real-Time Streaming" icon="stream">
    **Built-in streaming** - Token-by-token streaming for interactive applications and long-form generation.
  </Card>
</Cards>

---

## Traditional Approach vs RunAgent

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Traditional: Build Everything Yourself">
    - Spin up FastAPI server
    - Build WebSocket handlers for streaming
    - Set up authentication and rate limiting
    - Deploy and manage infrastructure
    - Handle scaling and load balancing
    - Write SDKs for each language
    - Manage security and sandboxing
    - **Result**: Weeks of infrastructure work before you can use your agent
  </Accordion>
  
  <Accordion title="RunAgent: Deploy in One Command">
    - Write Python function
    - Run `runagent serve .`
    - Call from any language immediately
    - **Result**: Agent is live and accessible in seconds
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

---

## Core Concepts Cheat Sheet

| Concept | What It Means | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| **Entrypoints** | Python functions exposed as API endpoints | Your business logic becomes accessible from any language |
| **Tags** | Nicknames for your functions (e.g., "chat", "analyze") | Clean, memorable API names instead of function names |
| **Streaming** | Real-time token delivery as they are generated | Interactive UIs, progress indicators, better UX |
| **Isolation** | Secure, containerized execution environments | Security, resource isolation, fast cold starts |
| **SDKs** | Language-native clients that feel like local functions | No need to learn REST APIs or WebSocket protocols |
| **Config** | `runagent.config.json` defines your agent's interface | Single source of truth for what your agent can do |

---

## The Developer Experience

<Steps>
  <Step title="Write Python Agent">
    ```python
    def chat_agent(message: str) -> str:
        return llm.chat(message)
    ```
  </Step>
  
  <Step title="Deploy with One Command">
    ```bash
    runagent serve .
    ```
  </Step>
  
  <Step title="Call from Any Language">
    ```python
    # Python
    result = client.run(message="Hello!")
    ```
    ```javascript
    // JavaScript
    const result = await client.run({message: "Hello!"});
    ```
    ```go
    // Go
    result, _ := client.Run(ctx, map[string]interface{}{"message": "Hello!"})
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

---

## What Makes This Different

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Agent-First Design" icon="robot">
    Built specifically for AI agents, not generic microservices. Handles streaming, state, and agent patterns out of the box.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Zero Infrastructure" icon="cloud">
    No Docker, Kubernetes, or cloud configuration needed. Focus on your agent logic, not deployment.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Production Ready" icon="shield">
    Security, scaling, monitoring, and error handling built-in from day one.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Language Agnostic" icon="globe">
    Your Python agent becomes a first-class citizen in every supported language ecosystem.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

---

## Ready to Dive Deeper?

<Cards num={3}>
  <Card title="Deploy Your First Agent" href="/tutorials/deploy-your-first-agent" arrow>
    See the magic in action with a 5-minute tutorial
  </Card>
  <Card title="Core Concepts Deep Dive" href="/explanation/core-concepts" arrow>
    Understand entrypoints, streaming, and configuration in detail
  </Card>
  <Card title="Architecture Overview" href="/explanation/architecture-overview" arrow>
    Learn how RunAgent works under the hood
  </Card>
</Cards>

<NeedHelp context="Key Concepts at a Glance" />