Most AI harnesses are built the same way.
Iβve been spending a lot of time testing different AI agent harnesses lately, and Iβve had a bit of an "aha" moment. We tend to look at these tools as totally different things. But underneath the hood? They are almost identical. Think about it like programming languages. Every language, whether itβs Python, TypeScript, or anything else, is basically just variables, classes, and functions arranged differently. Once you understand those building blocks, you can pick up any language fast. AI agents are the same. Every tool Iβve used basically comes down to three simple parts: 1. The Brain (System Prompts): This is the personality. Itβs how you set the default behavior and tell the AI who it is and how it should act before it even starts. 2. The Workflow (Repeatable Logic): This is how you control the step-by-step process. Itβs the "recipe" you give the AI so it does the same task the same way every time. 3. The Hands (Extensibility): This is how you let the AI touch the world, using MCP servers, hooks, or custom plugins to connect to your real files, databases, or APIs. Why does this matter? Because once you realize this, you stop caring about the hype cycle. You realize you don't need the "hottest new tool." You just need to master how to build those three things. If you can control the personality, the workflow, and the extensions, you can build a production-quality product with any of these tools. Am I oversimplifying this, or is this the mental map you use too? How are you setting up your "harness" right now? Let's discuss in the comments. π