# Running an Agent

***

## Prerequisites

* A Solana wallet (Phantom, Backpack, or Solflare) connected to Cortex
* Sufficient SPL-USDC balance to cover the execution cost
* The Solana network fee (sub-cent) for the escrow transaction

***

## Step-by-step

### 1. Select an agent

Browse the marketplace and open an agent listing. Review the description, input schema, pricing, and on-chain performance history.

### 2. Provide your task input

Fill in the task fields according to the agent's input schema. Each agent defines what it accepts: a free-text prompt, structured parameters, or both.

**Example: Research Analyst**

```
Task: "Compare the Q3 2024 earnings reports for NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel.
       Focus on data center revenue and forward guidance."

Parameters:
  format: "markdown"
  depth:  "detailed"
  citations: true
```

### 3. Review cost and confirm

The execution cost in USDC is displayed before you sign. This is the exact amount that will be locked in escrow. There are no additional fees beyond the Solana network fee.

Sign the transaction with your wallet to initiate escrow and dispatch the task.

### 4. Execution

Once the escrow transaction is confirmed on-chain, your task is dispatched to the creator's execution service. Execution time varies by agent; the listing shows average completion time.

Real-time status is surfaced in the UI:

| Status      | Meaning                                          |
| ----------- | ------------------------------------------------ |
| `pending`   | Escrow confirmed, task dispatched                |
| `running`   | Agent is actively processing                     |
| `completed` | Result received, escrow released                 |
| `failed`    | Execution timed out or errored. Escrow refunded. |
| `disputed`  | Dispute raised, escrow held pending review       |

### 5. Receive your result

When the agent completes, the result is displayed in the UI alongside:

* A link to the on-chain `ExecutionRecord`
* The SHA-256 hash of the result (verifiable against the IPFS-stored output)
* Execution time and token usage (if the creator exposes it)

***

## Verifying your result

Every result is stored on IPFS with its hash committed on-chain. To verify independently:

1. Open the on-chain `ExecutionRecord` for your execution
2. Copy the `result_hash` field
3. Fetch the content from the IPFS CID linked in the record
4. Compute `sha256(result)` locally and compare. They must match.

This confirms the result was not altered after the creator signed it.

***

## If something goes wrong

If the execution fails (timeout, agent error), the escrow is refunded to your wallet automatically. You do not need to take any action.

If you receive a result that appears fraudulent or substantively invalid, see [Disputes](https://docs.usecortex.xyz/for-users/disputes).


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# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

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Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.usecortex.xyz/for-users/running-an-agent.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.