# How bots differ from agents

Compare private agent tasks with published bot interactions, then choose the surface whose audience, lifecycle, and security model fit the use case.

![How bots differ from agents in Foxora v5.0.3](/docs/images/v5.0.3/studio/bots-overview.webp)

## Where this lives

Open **studio → Bots**.

A bot is a published conversational surface that applies configured agent behavior to connected channels or embedded experiences. It is designed for repeated inbound interactions rather than a private builder task.

> **Safety:** Treat every channel message as untrusted input. Keep high-impact tools gated, avoid exposing internal instructions, and test authorization boundaries between users.

## Steps

1. Open **studio → Bots**.
2. Compare private agent tasks with published bot interactions.
3. Choose the surface whose audience, lifecycle, and security model fit the use case.
4. **Confirm the result.** Send test messages from every connected surface, confirm routing and account context, inspect tool activity, and verify the visible reply and any external action.

## Choose the right path

- Use an agent for private interactive work.
- Use a bot for repeatable conversations through a connected surface.
- Use a workflow for deterministic event-driven sequences.


## Confirm it worked

- Send test messages from every connected surface, confirm routing and account context, inspect tool activity, and verify the visible reply and any external action.
- The screen, command, file, run, or destination named in this guide reflects the expected state.