# Choose a build path

Agent Mission Control developer docs > Overview

> Compare the four ways to build an agent for AMC and pick the one that fits what you already have.

**Before you start:** Read [How agents connect](/developers/how-agents-connect/) first.

Every path ends at the same place: a registration AMC can start, watch and price. They differ in who hosts the agent, what reasons inside it, and which adapter AMC uses.

|  | Bring your own agent | Claude skill on Microsoft Foundry | Claude skill, self-hosted | Microsoft Agent Framework |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **What you build** | Any agent or workflow, in any language, behind an HTTP endpoint you implement | A Foundry hosted agent: Agent Framework as the host shell, `claude-agent-sdk` running your skill | A container that runs your skill with `claude-agent-sdk` and serves AMC's contract with `amc_sdk` | An Agent Framework agent or multi-agent workflow, deployed to Foundry as a hosted agent |
| **What reasons** | Whatever you choose | Claude, through your `SKILL.md` | Claude, through your `SKILL.md` | Agent Framework agents, typically on GPT models |
| **Who hosts it** | You | Microsoft Foundry | You | Microsoft Foundry |
| **AMC adapter** | **Flight Director / custom** | **Azure AI Foundry** | **Flight Director / custom**, with **This resource uses the AMC SDK** | **Azure AI Foundry** |
| **How it reports to AMC** | You implement the run endpoints directly | Informational markers in the Responses stream | `amc_sdk` serves the endpoints for you | Informational markers in the Responses stream |
| **Auth AMC uses** | API key, or managed identity on an approved https host | Managed identity or a Foundry key | API key, or managed identity on an approved https host | Managed identity or a Foundry key |
| **Start here** | [Bring your own agent](https://www.agentmissioncontrol.ai/developers/byo-overview/) | [Foundry overview](https://www.agentmissioncontrol.ai/developers/foundry-hybrid-overview/) | [Self-hosted overview](https://www.agentmissioncontrol.ai/developers/self-hosted-overview/) | [Agent Framework overview](https://www.agentmissioncontrol.ai/developers/af-overview/) |

## When to pick each

- **Bring your own agent:** you already have an agent or workflow (LangGraph, a .NET service, a script, another vendor's platform) and want AMC to run and govern it without rewriting it. You own the endpoint and implement the contract. In Python, [the amc_sdk package](https://www.agentmissioncontrol.ai/developers/byo-amc-sdk/) does most of it for you.
- **Claude skill on Microsoft Foundry:** you have a Claude skill and want it to run unattended as a first-class Foundry resource, with Foundry owning the endpoint, sessions, scale and Entra auth. Pick this when your organization standardizes on Foundry.
- **Claude skill, self-hosted:** you have a Claude skill and want to run it in your own container, on your own network, without Foundry. Pick this for full control of the runtime or when Foundry hosting isn't available to you.
- **Microsoft Agent Framework:** you are building new agents or a multi-agent graph (sequential, concurrent, handoff, group chat) on Agent Framework, usually on Azure OpenAI models, and will host them in Foundry.

> **Note:** Not sure? If the agent exists, bring your own. If you are starting from a Claude skill, pick Foundry when Foundry is your platform and self-hosted otherwise. If you are starting from scratch on Microsoft's stack, pick Agent Framework.

Whichever you pick, the agent must meet [the integration contract](https://www.agentmissioncontrol.ai/developers/integration-contract/).

## Related

- [How agents connect to AMC](https://www.agentmissioncontrol.ai/developers/how-agents-connect/)
- [The integration contract](https://www.agentmissioncontrol.ai/developers/integration-contract/)
- [Bring your own agent](https://www.agentmissioncontrol.ai/developers/byo-overview/)

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Source: https://www.agentmissioncontrol.ai/developers/choose-a-build-path/ · Last updated 2026-10-21 · Full index: https://www.agentmissioncontrol.ai/llms.txt