# The AI field guide

DJ Von Frank | September 2026

## API

A defined interface that lets software request data or actions from another system.

## MCP

A protocol through which AI applications and servers can exchange tools, resources, and prompts.

## Connector

An integration that handles access and translates between the connected systems.

## Webhook

An event notification delivered to an endpoint, often used to trigger a workflow.

## Integration

The overall connection between systems, including data flow, access, and failure handling.

## Tool

A callable capability, such as searching documents, running a calculation, or updating a record.

## Skill

Reusable instructions and supporting resources for doing a particular kind of work.

## Agent

A model-driven system that selects steps or tools toward a task within defined limits.

## Workflow

The sequence of steps, decisions, and handoffs that moves work toward a result.

## Automation

Execution started or repeated by a trigger or schedule with less manual intervention.

## Plugin

A product-specific package that may bundle tools, instructions, or integrations.

## Extension

A product-specific addition to an application’s capabilities or interface.

## Context window

The bounded information available to a model for a particular interaction.

## Memory

Information kept outside the current interaction and retrieved for future work.

## Artifact

A saved output, such as a document, design, report, or application.

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