Question 1

What is Distri?

Accepted Answer

Distri is a composable AI agent runtime for building in-product agents. You define an agent once in a markdown file, connect your product’s own functions as tools, and run it from the CLI, as a streaming API server, or embedded in your app. Unlike a chatbot, a Distri agent reaches into your product and calls your functions — filling a form, reconciling a ledger, updating a grid.

Question 2

How do I create a Distri agent?

Accepted Answer

Install the CLI with `curl -fsSL https://distri.dev/install.sh | sh`, write a markdown file with a TOML frontmatter block (name, [tools], [model_settings]) and a system prompt, then run it with `distri run --task "..." --agent NAME`. Local runs need no account — just a model provider key.

Question 3

How do I deploy a Distri agent?

Accepted Answer

Authenticate with `distri login`, then sync your agents to Distri Cloud with `distri agents push agents/ --all`. Skills, prompts, and workflows push the same way (`distri skills push`, `distri workflows push`).

Question 4

How do I embed a Distri agent in my product?

Accepted Answer

Install @distri/core and @distri/react, wrap your app in DistriProvider, and render a Chat component. Pass your product functions as externalTools so the agent can drive your UI. You can also call the runtime directly with agent.invoke() and client.llm().

Question 5

Is Distri free?

Accepted Answer

Distri is fair-code licensed and always free to self-host. Distri Cloud offers managed hosting with short-lived token auth and usage tracking.

Hook	Description
`useAgent()`	Load an agent by id or definition.
`useChat()`	Full chat state: messages, streaming, and tools.
`useChatMessages()`	Access the message history.
`useDistri()`	The `DistriClient`, loading state, and errors.
`useThreads()`	List and manage conversation threads.
`useWorkspace()`	Get and set the active workspace.
`useWorkflow()`	Drive a workflow and read step progress.

Prop	Type	Description
`agent`	`Agent`	From `useAgent()`.
`threadId`	`string`	Conversation to attach to.
`externalTools`	`DistriAnyTool[]`	Your product's tools.
`enableHistory`	`boolean`	Load prior messages for the thread.
`getMetadata`	`() => Promise<object>`	Inject dynamic context each message.
`onChatInstanceReady`	`(instance) => void`	Get a handle to the chat instance.

Export	Description
`provideDistri(config)`	Register the client in DI. Takes a token endpoint, a direct config, or an async factory.
`DISTRI_SERVICE`	Inject to read `client`, `isLoading`, `error` as Signals; `setWorkspaceId()`.
`createChatService()`	Signal-based chat state.
`createAgentService()`	Load and manage agents.

Input	Type	Description
`agentIdOrDef`	`string \| AgentDefinition`	Required. Agent to run.
`threadId`	`string`	Required. Conversation to attach to.
`externalTools`	`DistriBaseTool[]`	Your product's tools.
`beforeSendMessage`	`(m) => Promise<m>`	Rewrite the outgoing message.
`starterPrompts`	`string[]`	Example prompts on the empty state.