Architecture Overview
Agirunner is split into two deliberate halves:
- the platform, which owns workflows, routing, approvals, operator state, the dashboard, and the API
- the runtime, which owns task execution, tool dispatch, isolated workspaces, result capture, and reporting
That split is what makes the orchestration layer useful. The platform can keep steering a workflow toward the best available conclusion while the runtime stays focused on safe, isolated execution.
That split is the core design decision in the system. It is also why the product stays understandable as it grows. Many agent systems become confusing because workflow semantics, UI state, tool execution, and container behavior all collapse into one muddy layer. Agirunner keeps those responsibilities separate on purpose.
Why The Architecture Feels Different
Section titled “Why The Architecture Feels Different”Agirunner is not trying to be a thin wrapper around one model call. It is trying to be a system that can:
- author and launch repeatable work
- route that work through explicit contracts
- execute tasks in isolated environments
- keep humans in the loop when visibility, intervention, or review matter
- preserve artifacts, logs, and records that still make sense later
Major Surfaces
Section titled “Major Surfaces”- Dashboard for operators launching, inspecting, and intervening in work
- Platform API for programmatic access to the control plane
- Runtime for isolated execution of claimed tasks
- Artifacts and logs for evidence and observability
Why The Split Matters
Section titled “Why The Split Matters”The platform answers questions like:
- what workflow exists right now
- what playbook or role policy applies
- what work should happen next
- what approvals, records, or operator actions matter
The runtime answers different questions:
- how the task is executed safely
- which tools are callable right now
- how the workspace is prepared
- what outputs, artifacts, logs, and metrics come out of execution
Those are related questions, but they are not the same. Agirunner is easier to operate and easier to extend because it treats them as different responsibilities.
A Useful Mental Model
Section titled “A Useful Mental Model”Think of the platform as the place where workflow meaning becomes explicit contracts, and think of the runtime as the place where those contracts turn into actual work.
That thread connects the rest of the architecture docs.