> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.decube.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.decube.io/ai-agent-registry/register-an-agent.md).

# Register an Agent

Agents get into the [AI Agent Registry](/ai-agent-registry/overview.md) two ways: Decube discovers them by scanning a connected source, or you register them manually.

## Automated discovery

An inventory that depends on people remembering to fill in a form is only ever as current as the last person who remembered. Automated discovery removes that step: Decube scans a connected platform and creates a registry entry for every agent it finds.

{% hint style="info" icon="telescope" %}
During the limited preview, automated discovery covers the **Snowflake Cortex** platform, and this may be expanded to other platforms. As of now, agents on any other platform can go into the registry through [manual registration](#manual-registration).
{% endhint %}

### How discovery works

Decube scans your connected source and creates or updates a registry entry for each agent it finds. Each entry arrives with the fields the platform exposes, the agent's name, the source it was found in, and its platform.

Once a source is connected, information about the agent is ingested and synced with your connectors once every hour.

### What a discovered agent looks like on arrival

A scan fills in what the platform reports and leaves the rest empty.

Discovery gives you the inventory. Completing the governance record is a steward's responsibility: assign an owner, and set the environment and lifecycle stage the platform couldn't tell us.

## Manual registration

Manual registration is the path for agents Decube can't discover on its own. Every agent belongs to an **agent source** which is the platform it runs on, so create the source first, then register agents against it.

{% hint style="info" %}
An agent source must exist before you can register an agent. If your organization has no agent source yet, the registration form directs you to create one instead.
{% endhint %}

### Create an agent source

Open the registry and click **Agent sources** at the top right to manage the sources in your organization. Create one source per platform you want to track by hand.

The source you pick shows up next to the agent's name in the registry table, so name it after the platform your team would recognise.

### Register the agent

1. Open the **AI Hub** and click **Agent Registry** under **AI Governance**.
2. Click **Register AI Agent** at the top right.
3. Complete the fields and submit. The agent appears in the registry table immediately.

Write descriptions that tell a steward what the agent does with your data rather than how it was built. "Answers finance questions over the reporting warehouse" is more useful than "LangChain RAG service".

### After registering

The agent's **Owner** shows as **Unassigned** until someone is recorded against it. Assign an owner so the registry can answer who is accountable for the agent before you need the answer.

## FAQ

#### Why are most of the governance fields empty on a discovered agent?

A scan fills in only what the platform exposes about an agent. Everything else stays empty until a steward sets it — use **Edit agent** to complete the record.

#### What's the difference between Source and Platform?

**Source** is the Decube source the agent belongs to, and matches the chip next to the agent's name in the registry table. **Platform** is the agent technology it runs on, such as Snowflake Cortex.

#### Can I register an agent that runs outside a connected platform?

Yes. Manual registration is the path for any agent you want to track, wherever it runs. Create an agent source for its platform first.

#### Can I edit an agent after registering it?

Yes. Open the agent from the registry table and update its fields from the [agent detail view](/ai-agent-registry/agent-details.md).

#### What happens to the agent source if I register no agents against it?

Nothing. The source stays in your organization as an empty source until you register an agent against it.