Files
An agent with file access tools can read, search, and edit files. But which files? You control this by connecting specific directories — your code, your notes, your documents — to each agent.
The key idea is that you can connect multiple file sources to an agent, and each agent gets access to exactly the files it needs — not everything, just what is relevant to its work.
Examples
Section titled “Examples”- A GitHub repository — The repo is cloned into the agent’s environment. The agent can read the codebase, make edits, and work with the project files.
- An Obsidian notes vault — The agent can read and edit your notes, helping you organize, summarize, or find information across your knowledge base.
- A Google Drive folder — The agent can work with documents and files synced from your Drive. If the folder is also synced to your computer, you and the agent are editing the same files.
A single agent can have multiple file sources connected at the same time — for example, a code repository and a documentation folder. The agent sees all of them and can work across them.
Why files matter
Section titled “Why files matter”Without connected files, the agent can only work with information that comes through the conversation or through API calls. Connecting files gives it persistent access to a body of work — your documents, your notes, your code, your data.
By choosing which files each agent has access to, you keep things focused. Your task management agent does not need to see your codebase. Your code review agent does not need your personal notes. Each agent sees exactly what it needs — nothing more.
Skills and files together
Section titled “Skills and files together”Skills and files upgrade the two fundamentals from the beginning of this guide:
- Skills upgrade instructions — from a single system prompt to a system prompt plus specialist knowledge loaded on demand.
- Files upgrade tools — from general file access to focused access to the specific files and data your agent needs.
Together, they let you build agents that are both more knowledgeable and more focused. Next, we give your agents the ability to remember.