> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.domo.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Agent Knowledge vs. Tool Knowledge

## Intro

This article explains the difference between Agent Knowledge and Tool Knowledge, and how they work together in Domo AI agents.

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## Agent Knowledge vs. Tool Knowledge

|                     | **Agent Knowledge**                                                                                                  | **Tool Knowledge**                                                                                                       |
| ------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **What it is**      | Packaged expertise, training data, or indexed documents via Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) or vector databases | Executable functions, APIs, or scripts (for example, a calculator, a web search, or an internal database query)          |
| **How it works**    | Ingested offline or built into the model; provides context, domain definitions, and behavioral guidelines            | The agent dynamically formats parameters and triggers the tool, which performs an action and returns a definitive output |
| **Primary purpose** | Comprehend user intent, reason through problems, and synthesize information internally                               | Interact with the outside world, perform exact calculations, or retrieve real-time data                                  |
| **When to use**     | Abstract reasoning, understanding tone, and answering broad conceptual questions                                     | Real-time information, executing multi-step tasks, and performing precise actions                                        |

<Tip>**Tip:** Think of Agent Knowledge as the mind — it shapes how the agent understands and reasons. Tools are the hands — they reach out and act on the world.</Tip>

## Agent Tools vs. Agent Skills

Tools and Skills are related but distinct concepts:

* **Tools —** External interfaces (APIs, functions) that an agent invokes to perform an action. Use tools for deterministic actions, for example, "Send an email."
* **Skills —** Internal cognitive patterns and workflows the agent possesses. Use skills for probabilistic reasoning, for example, "Draft a persuasive rebuttal."