---
id: "openai-practical-guide-to-building-agents"
title: "A practical guide to building agents (PDF)"
creator: "OpenAI"
creator_url: "https://cdn.openai.com/business-guides-and-resources/a-practical-guide-to-building-agents.pdf"
url: "https://cdn.openai.com/business-guides-and-resources/a-practical-guide-to-building-agents.pdf"
level: "beginner"
level_max: null
category: "agents"
subcategory: "agent-design-patterns"
region: "West"
license: "closed"
license_scope: "linked-resource"
models: ["any"]
source_date: null
date_added: "2026-10-18"
---

[Agents and harnesses](/agents/index.md)

# A practical guide to building agents (PDF)

by [OpenAI](https://cdn.openai.com/business-guides-and-resources/a-practical-guide-to-building-agents.pdf)

[Read the original →](https://cdn.openai.com/business-guides-and-resources/a-practical-guide-to-building-agents.pdf)

Plain-language foundations: when to build an agent, orchestration, guardrails.

This guide frames decisions about when an agent is appropriate, how work is coordinated and where safeguards belong. Read it before selecting a framework so that the task determines the architecture.

Level: [Beginner](/levels/index.md#beginner)
Models: any
Category: [Agents and harnesses](/agents/index.md)
Tags: [design-patterns](/tags/design-patterns/index.md)
Source date: date not stated
Added: 2026-10-18
Last verified: 2026-10-18
Status: ok
Prerequisites: Conceptual or guided prompt use; the main path does not require writing code.
Subcategory: [agent design patterns](/agents/agent-design-patterns/index.md)
Region: West
Original language: en
Access: free
Resource reuse: closed: No general open-reuse grant established from the inspected page. Closed is the conservative index bucket, not a legal finding; the resource is publicly readable. [Facet definitions](/about/index.md#facets)

Summary in our own words. Rights remain with the original creator. [Credit and correction policy](/about/index.md#credit-policy).

[Plain-text Markdown copy](/agents/agent-design-patterns/openai-practical-guide-to-building-agents/index.md)