> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.duckie.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Deployments Overview

> Connect agents to real customer channels

Deployments connect your agents to real customer channels, defining when and how agents respond to incoming messages.

{/* Screenshot: Deployments page showing deployment cards with status indicators */}

## What is a Deployment?

A deployment is the connection between:

* **An agent** — What responds
* **A trigger** — When to respond
* **A mode** — How to respond

## Deployment Components

### Agent

The configured AI that handles conversations. Includes:

* Start mode and instructions
* Knowledge access
* Guidelines and guardrails
* Tool access
* Classification settings

### Trigger

What causes the agent to activate:

| Component                   | Examples                                                        |
| --------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Channel or trigger type** | Zendesk, Slack, Intercom, Discord, Custom Webhook, Scheduler    |
| **Event or schedule**       | New ticket, message received, comment added, recurring schedule |
| **Filters**                 | Specific channels, groups, tags                                 |

### Mode

How the agent interacts with customers:

| Mode        | Behavior                                                                   |
| ----------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Live**    | Responds directly to customers                                             |
| **Testing** | Runs with testing options such as internal notes only and no write actions |

### Status

* **Active** — Deployment is running
* **Paused** — Temporarily disabled

## Deployment Lifecycle

```
Create → Configure → Test → Activate → Monitor → Iterate
```

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create">
    Define the agent and trigger
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure">
    Set mode, filters, and options
  </Step>

  <Step title="Test">
    Validate in playground or testing mode
  </Step>

  <Step title="Activate">
    Enable for real traffic
  </Step>

  <Step title="Monitor">
    Watch performance metrics
  </Step>

  <Step title="Iterate">
    Adjust based on results
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Multiple Deployments

You can create multiple deployments for flexibility:

### Same Agent, Different Channels

```
Support Agent → Zendesk tickets
Support Agent → Slack messages
Support Agent → Intercom conversations
```

### Different Agents, Same Channel

```
Billing Agent → Zendesk (billing group)
Technical Agent → Zendesk (technical group)
```

### Different Events

```
Support Agent → New tickets only
Triage Agent → All ticket updates
```

### Recurring Work

```
Support Agent → Weekday morning queue summary
SLA Agent → Hourly escalation check
```

## Deployment Cards

{/* Screenshot: Single deployment card showing agent, trigger, mode, and status */}

Each deployment card shows:

* **Agent name** — Which agent is deployed
* **Trigger** — Channel and events
* **Mode** — Live or Testing
* **Status** — Active or Paused
* **Metrics** — Recent activity

## Best Practices

### Start in Testing Mode

New deployments should start in testing mode:

1. Agent processes real messages
2. Responses can be saved as internal notes
3. You review before going live
4. Build confidence, then switch to live

### Monitor Closely Initially

After going live:

* Check run history frequently
* Watch for unexpected behavior
* Review escalation rates
* Gather customer feedback

### Use Filters Strategically

Start narrow and expand:

1. Deploy to one channel first
2. Expand to more channels when confident
3. Use tag filters to control scope

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Create Deployment" icon="plus" href="/deployments/creating-deployments">
    Deploy your first agent
  </Card>

  <Card title="Deployment Modes" icon="toggle-on" href="/deployments/deployment-modes">
    Understand live vs testing
  </Card>

  <Card title="Custom Webhooks" icon="plug" href="/deployments/custom-webhooks">
    Trigger agents from custom JSON events
  </Card>

  <Card title="Scheduled Deployments" icon="clock" href="/deployments/scheduled-deployments">
    Run agents on a recurring schedule
  </Card>

  <Card title="Triggers & Events" icon="bolt" href="/deployments/triggers-and-events">
    Configure when agents respond
  </Card>
</CardGroup>