18 / Evaluate the actions
Evaluate an agent by the API work it can complete and explain
Build and assess agents against explicit tools, bounded permissions, visible traces, and repeatable API tasks.
- 01read_contractallowed
- 02create_mockallowed
- 03delete_projectblocked
task correctscope respected3 calls
The job
For teams introducing agents into API development or operations and needing evidence beyond a polished demonstration.
- 01Define the tools and API scope an agent is allowed to use.
- 02Inspect tool calls and failure paths instead of grading only the final answer.
- 03Repeat the same task to compare reliability, cost, and behavior over time.
Working sequence
The shortest honest path from input to evidence.
- 01
Define the task
Choose a concrete API outcome and the tools required to reach it.
- 02
Run with visible boundaries
Limit permissions and retain the tool-call trace, inputs, and outputs.
- 03
Evaluate the behavior
Review correctness, recovery, unnecessary calls, latency, and cost across repeated runs.
Operating principle
The design constraint that keeps this useful.
An agent is evaluated as a system that takes actions, not as a chat response. The trace matters because two identical answers can come from very different risk profiles.
Operational notes
Use the boundary, not just the capability.
- What can an API agent do?
- Depending on its tools and permissions, an agent can inspect artifacts, create mocks, run checks, or coordinate API workflows.
- How should permissions be scoped?
- Grant only the tools, targets, and data access needed for the task, with write operations separated from read-only analysis.
- What should an evaluation measure?
- Measure task correctness, tool-call quality, failure recovery, latency, cost, and whether the agent stayed within scope.
Next move
Start with one concrete API problem.
Keep the first step small. Move into a workspace when the result deserves to be saved, repeated, or shared.