Building Custom AI Agents Just Got EASIER ![rw-book-cover](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/NsROagHaKxA/maxresdefault.jpg) 🔗 **Source:** [Building Custom AI Agents Just Got EASIER](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsROagHaKxA) > [!note]+ Document Notes > tags: [ai-agents, claude-code, sdk] > author: an unnamed author > source: [YouTube] > reference: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsROagHaKxA] > date created: {{date:YYYY-MM-DD}} {{time:HH:mm}} > > # 🏷️ Title: Building Custom AI Agents Just Got EASIER > <!-- deep-read:sections start --> ## 🧭 Table of Contents - [📝 Summary](#-summary) - [📖 Main Content](#-main-content) - [🗒️ Notes](#️-notes) - [📚 References](#-references) - [🗣️ Paraphrase](#️-paraphrase) - [📰 Newsletter](#-newsletter) - [✅ Action Items](#-action-items) - [🧪 Hypotheses](#-hypotheses) - [📊 Methodology](#-methodology) - [❓ Questions](#-questions) - [🔮 Future Research](#-future-research) - [💡 Implications](#-implications) - [🧠 Learning Styles Assessment](#-learning-styles-assessment) - [📊 Accessibility Assessment](#-accessibility-assessment) - [🌍 DEIB Assessment](#-deib-assessment) - [✅ Logical Validity](#-logical-validity) - [🛡️ DARVO Analysis](#-darvo-analysis) - [🎯 Conclusion](#-conclusion) ### 🔗 References - Include links cited in or relevant to the article. ## 📝 Summary - The video shows building a custom agent using the Claude Code SDK. - It highlights streaming input, custom tools, hooks, and prompt control. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0} - Stakeholders include OSS developers, OSPOs, and WordPress plugin authors. - Risks include brittle prompts, unclear tool scopes, and maintenance overhead. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1} - Bottom line: the SDK supports production agent patterns with clear docs. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2} ## 📖 Main Content - The SDK supports single prompts and streaming input. Anthropic recommends streaming input for agents. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3} - Hooks let you intercept events, extend behavior, and add guardrails. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4} - You can fully control system prompts or layer output styles. Capabilities differ. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5} - The SDK integrates with MCP. You can expose internal tools as MCP servers. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6} - Custom tools use `createSdkMcpServer` and `tool` to define typed inputs and actions. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7} - Session management, subagents, slash commands, todos, and cost tracking are built-in. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8} - This aligns with developer workflows for IDE-like agents and internal bots. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9} - Uncertainties remain around feature stability and model differences over time. :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10} ### 🗒️ Notes #### ⏱️ [00:04](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsROagHaKxA&t=4) SDK value and context - Custom tools and hooks simplify agent building. - Knowing agent basics matters as adoption grows. #### ⏱️ [00:59](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsROagHaKxA&t=59) Single-prompt demo - TypeScript example returns model info and session metadata. - Options can set the specific model. #### ⏱️ [01:47](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsROagHaKxA&t=107) Streaming input mode - Generator yields message objects with IDs and roles. - Tools run to count files and compute results. :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11} #### ⏱️ [02:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsROagHaKxA&t=158) Interactive loop - CLI accepts follow-up prompts. - Tool calls print for transparency. #### ⏱️ [03:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsROagHaKxA&t=207) System prompt control - Overwriting prompts changes behavior and tool usage. :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12} - Output styles and appended prompts differ in control. :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13} #### ⏱️ [04:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsROagHaKxA&t=260) Focused agents - Custom prompts can restrict tools. :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14} - Use cases include tutoring or internal controls. #### ⏱️ [05:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsROagHaKxA&t=312) Custom tools via MCP - Define a pricing tool using `createSdkMcpServer` and `tool`. :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15} - Zod validates input; the tool returns totals. #### ⏱️ [06:08](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsROagHaKxA&t=368) Feature survey - Permissions, todos, slash commands, subagents, sessions, and hooks exist. :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16} - The SDK centralizes agent patterns. ## 📚 References - [Video: Building Custom AI Agents Just Got EASIER](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsROagHaKxA) - [Claude Code overview](https://docs.claude.com/en/claude-code/overview) :contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17} - [Streaming Input](https://docs.claude.com/en/api/agent-sdk/streaming-input) :contentReference[oaicite:18]{index=18} - [Hooks](https://docs.claude.com/en/api/agent-sdk/hooks) :contentReference[oaicite:19]{index=19} - [Modifying system prompts](https://docs.claude.com/en/api/agent-sdk/system-prompts) :contentReference[oaicite:20]{index=20} - [MCP in the SDK](https://docs.claude.com/en/api/agent-sdk/mcp) :contentReference[oaicite:21]{index=21} - [Custom Tools](https://docs.claude.com/en/api/agent-sdk/custom-tools) :contentReference[oaicite:22]{index=22} - [Subagents](https://docs.claude.com/en/api/agent-sdk/subagents) :contentReference[oaicite:23]{index=23} - [Session Management](https://docs.claude.com/en/api/agent-sdk/session-management) :contentReference[oaicite:24]{index=24} - [Slash Commands](https://docs.claude.com/en/api/agent-sdk/slash-commands) :contentReference[oaicite:25]{index=25} - [Todo Lists](https://docs.claude.com/en/api/agent-sdk/todo-tracking) :contentReference[oaicite:26]{index=26} - [Cost and Usage](https://docs.claude.com/en/api/agent-sdk/cost-tracking) :contentReference[oaicite:27]{index=27} ## 🗣️ Paraphrase - The SDK now supports richer, controllable agents through streaming, hooks, and custom tools. - You can tailor prompts, expose internal functions via MCP, and manage sessions for iterative work. ## 📰 Newsletter - Building WordPress-focused agents just got friendlier. Claude Code’s SDK supports custom tools, hooks, and sessions. :contentReference[oaicite:28]{index=28} - Imagine agents triaging plugin issues, generating block code, or drafting Docs with policies applied. - Start here: Claude Code docs, MCP guide, and system-prompt strategies. :contentReference[oaicite:29]{index=29} - Pair this with WordPress Developer Resources and WordPress Playground for rapid testing. - Keep funding transparent with The WPCC updates and FAIR.pm governance artifacts. ## ✅ Action Items - **DevRel** - Publish a “WP Agent Starter” repo with SDK templates. - Record a demo on streaming input and MCP tools. :contentReference[oaicite:30]{index=30} - Measure success by repo stars, PRs, and tutorial completions. - **Developer advocacy: plans, talks, demos, and measurable outcomes.** - Propose WordCamp talk: “Agents for Plugin Teams.” - Track activation by sample project forks and usage telemetry. - **Education: workshops, curricula, office hours, mentorship programs.** - Create a 3-session course: prompts, tools, and governance. :contentReference[oaicite:31]{index=31} - **Developer experience: docs, SDKs, examples, templates, quickstarts.** - Ship CLI scaffolds for WordPress agent tasks and slash commands. :contentReference[oaicite:32]{index=32} - **Developer marketing: campaigns, content, funnels, and attribution.** - Run a “7-day agent sprint” with clear CTAs and UTM tracking. - **Community management: moderation, code of conduct ops, surveys.** - Add agent usage norms to community guidelines. - **Internal/external/cross-project: align goals, SLAs, and feedback loops.** - Define SLAs for agent uptime and tool latency. - **OSPO** - **Policy & Governance:** Draft a contributor agent policy and escalation paths. - **License Compliance:** Scan custom tools for license risks weekly. - **Security Management:** Establish vuln intake for agent tools and sessions. - **Software Inventory:** Maintain an SBOM for agent tools and prompts. - **Developer Support:** Hold MCP office hours and code reviews. :contentReference[oaicite:33]{index=33} - **Community Engagement:** Fund upstream tool maintainers via microgrants. - **Strategic Alignment:** Report KPIs to executives quarterly. - **Community** - **Maintainers:** Host roadmap clinics on agent-assisted triage. - **Contributors:** Offer “first tool” pairing sessions. - **Sponsors:** Share transparent budgets and impact ledgers. - **Ecosystem:** Run cross-project incident drills for tool failures. - **WordPress** - **Core:** Prototype agent-aided issue triage and perf notes. - **Core Performance:** Add automated profiling prompts and todos. :contentReference[oaicite:34]{index=34} - **Core AI:** Define guardrails and test sets for model changes. - **Core Program:** Publish rituals for agent-in-the-loop workflows. - **Mobile:** Generate offline-ready snippets and task lists. - **Playground:** Script reproducible agent tests and labs. - **Community:** Provide meetup kits on agent safety and ethics. - **Training:** Build lesson plans on prompts and MCP tools. :contentReference[oaicite:35]{index=35} - **Marketing:** Share tutorials and outcomes in monthly updates. - **Support:** Set response SLAs and escalation paths for agent errors. - **Design:** Document UI patterns for agent feedback. - **Documentation:** Add examples-first patterns for tool design. - **Photos / TV:** Ensure captions and indexing for demos. - **Polyglots:** Localize prompts and tool messages. - **Accessibility:** Audit agent UIs against WCAG 2.2 AA. - **Meta:** Track API reliability for agent endpoints. - **CLI:** Provide agent command scaffolds and smoke tests. - **Hosting:** Share telemetry for reliability and costs. - **Tide:** Explain scoring impacts with agents-in-the-loop. - **Openverse:** Pilot moderation tools with MCP adapters. - **Themes / Plugins:** Add provenance checks and security liaisons. - **The WPCC** - **Programs:** Launch fellowships for agent-tool maintainers. - **Projects:** Run governance clinics on agent usage. - **Funding experiments:** Pilot matched grants with transparent ledgers. - **FAIR** - **Technical independence:** Store local metadata and signatures. - **Policies and covenants:** Publish agent usage covenants. - **Productized governance artifacts:** Ship charters and scorecards. ## 🧪 Hypotheses - Streaming input improves task success over single prompts for WP tasks. :contentReference[oaicite:36]{index=36} - Custom tools reduce manual steps in plugin workflows by 30%. :contentReference[oaicite:37]{index=37} - Prompt control reduces unintended tool calls and errors. :contentReference[oaicite:38]{index=38} - Subagents improve latency for parallel tasks. :contentReference[oaicite:39]{index=39} - Slash commands increase session manageability for support teams. :contentReference[oaicite:40]{index=40} ### 📊 Methodology - Run A/B tests on streaming vs single mode across tasks. :contentReference[oaicite:41]{index=41} - Instrument tools with cost tracking and success metrics. :contentReference[oaicite:42]{index=42} - Log prompt versions, tool outputs, and human edits for analysis. - Survey developer satisfaction pre/post agent integration. ### ❓ Questions - Which WordPress tasks benefit most from custom tools? - How should OSPOs govern agent prompts safely? :contentReference[oaicite:43]{index=43} - What telemetry best predicts agent regressions? ### 🔮 Future Research - Study MCP adapter patterns for large plugin ecosystems. :contentReference[oaicite:44]{index=44} - Evaluate subagents for multi-repo orchestration. :contentReference[oaicite:45]{index=45} - Model evaluation sets tailored to WordPress workflows. ### 💡 Implications - Practice: teams can codify workflows as tools and prompts. :contentReference[oaicite:46]{index=46} - Policy: define guardrails for tool permissions. :contentReference[oaicite:47]{index=47} - Security: treat tools like APIs; monitor and gate usage. - Education: teach streaming patterns and session hygiene. :contentReference[oaicite:48]{index=48} - Funding: back maintainers building critical adapters via The WPCC. ### 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment - Reading level estimate: Flesch–Kincaid Grade ≈ 9–10 (approximate). - **Visual learners** - Present: code samples, diagrams in docs. :contentReference[oaicite:49]{index=49} - Improve: architecture diagrams for MCP flows. :contentReference[oaicite:50]{index=50} - **Aural learners** - Present: tutorial video on YouTube. - Improve: 3-minute audio recap with key decisions. - **Verbal learners** - Present: clear definitions of hooks and prompts. :contentReference[oaicite:51]{index=51} - Improve: glossary for tool terms and roles. - **Kinesthetic learners** - Present: runnable examples and slash commands. :contentReference[oaicite:52]{index=52} - Improve: step-by-step labs with checklists. - **Logical learners** - Present: session lifecycle and todo states. :contentReference[oaicite:53]{index=53} - Improve: decision trees for tool selection. - **Social learners** - Present: community forums and OSS repos. - Improve: cohort-based sprints and peer reviews. - **Solitary learners** - Present: docs and examples. :contentReference[oaicite:54]{index=54} - Improve: self-check quizzes on prompts. - **Naturalistic learners** - Present: N/A. - Improve: sustainability notes on compute and costs. :contentReference[oaicite:55]{index=55} ### 📊 Accessibility Assessment - **Screen reader semantics** - Present: structured headings in docs. :contentReference[oaicite:56]{index=56} - Improve: descriptive alt text for all code screenshots. - **Keyboard navigation** - Present: logical nav in docs site. :contentReference[oaicite:57]{index=57} - Improve: ensure visible focus and skip links. - **Contrast and readability** - Present: readable body text. - Improve: verify 4.5:1 contrast in all examples. - **Text resizing and reflow** - Present: responsive layout. - Improve: honor prefers-reduced-motion. - **Media and captions** - Present: YouTube captions available. - Improve: downloadable transcripts for offline review. - **Forms and interactions** - Present: code copy buttons. - Improve: ARIA labels and error handling. - **Standards reference** - Map gaps to WCAG 2.2 AA criteria. ### 🌍 DEIB Assessment - **Cultural breadth** - Present: global developer audience implied. - Improve: examples across regions and locales. - **Inclusive language** - Present: neutral tone and defined terms. :contentReference[oaicite:58]{index=58} - Improve: plain-language callouts and analogies. - **Neurodiversity support** - Present: chunked guides with clear headings. :contentReference[oaicite:59]{index=59} - Improve: icon+text labels, predictable patterns. - **Representation** - Present: general developer scenarios. - Improve: examples featuring varied roles. - **Psychological safety** - Present: transparent tool scopes and prompts. :contentReference[oaicite:60]{index=60} - Improve: community guidelines for agent use. ### ✅ Logical Validity - **Strong reasoning** - Causal: streaming mode supports ongoing tasks; docs endorse it. Clear and supported. :contentReference[oaicite:61]{index=61} - Analogical: tool-as-API framing fits MCP pattern. Good transfer. :contentReference[oaicite:62]{index=62} - **Fallacies** - Potential appeal to trend: “companies hiring agents.” Provide evidence before generalizing. - Fix: cite labor studies or frame as anecdotal. - **Tone of voice** - Practical, upbeat, and tutorial-focused. ### 🛡️ DARVO Analysis - **Deny** - No denial patterns detected. - **Attack** - No attacks on critics observed. - **Reverse victim/offender** - None present. The content stays instructional. ## 🎯 Conclusion - The Claude Code SDK enables practical, controllable agents using modern patterns. :contentReference[oaicite:63]{index=63} - Next steps: prototype a WordPress-focused agent with streaming input, MCP tools, and clear prompts. :contentReference[oaicite:64]{index=64} <!-- deep-read:sections end --> [[3. Resources/Readwise/Full Document Contents/Articles/Building Custom AI Agents Just Got EASIER|Full Document Contents]] ## Highlights - The Claude Code team have recently announced custom tool support and hooks to Claude Code SDK, making it one step easier for you to create your own custom agent for your specific needs. And with some companies now hiring AI agents instead of actual humans, it's more important than ever to know how to build a basic agent. But what makes custom tools and hooks so important? and how do I even get started building an agent with the Claude Code SDK? I'll answer ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01k6eg3m2p10rdnjbpf73rhh60)) - project, it also responds with, "I don't know." but it doesn't even attempt to make any tool calls. This is because the default system prompt includes tool usage instructions and available tools. So, our custom system prompt has limited the amount of tools that Claude will use. This is really cool because you could create a custom agent for absolutely anything. An agent specific to your kids maths homework that doesn't give them the answer but teaches them instead or an internal company agent with limited abilities. Let's go through ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01k6eg32qjxe0n9y0ezbfrhm6a))