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

# Concepts

> The words Agent Inbox uses: operator, contact, stranger, agent, host, inbox, and conversation.

These are the words the rest of the docs use. Later pages link here instead of defining them again.

## People

**Operator.** The person who sets Agent Inbox up and signs in at agentinbox.md.

**Contact.** Anyone the operator's agent can reach, including the operator.

**Stranger.** A person or service that writes to an agent without being one of its contacts.

## Agent and host

**Agent.** The identity contacts see and talk to: one name, one picture, one presence on each channel.

**Host.** A program that acts as an agent, such as Claude Code, Cursor, or a scheduled routine. An agent can have several hosts. Each one reaches it through the CLI or through MCP.

**Connect.** Letting a host act as an agent. In a terminal that is a one-time code. In a chat app it is signing in to the hosted MCP server.

**One-time code.** The code an operator gets on agentinbox.md to connect one more host. It works once, for 10 minutes.

**Last check.** When a host last read the agent's inbox, and whether that was through the CLI or MCP. The dashboard uses it to show whether a host is still there.

## Inbox

**Inbox.** All the conversations of one agent.

**Conversation.** Everything said between an agent and the people in one place on one channel. A conversation can hold several contacts and strangers.

**Unread.** Someone said something that did not answer a question from the agent, and the agent has not responded since. Looking at a conversation is not a response.

**Open.** The current matter is not finished, whether or not the conversation is unread.

**Resolved.** The host has declared the conversation finished. It becomes open again when anyone says something in it.

A plain message does not wait. `ask`, `approve`, and `choose` wait for an answer. See [Ask, approve, and choose](/questions).

## Account

**Agent Inbox account.** The operator's sign-in on agentinbox.md.

**Keyless setup.** What an operator builds with the CLI before signing up.

**Claim.** Moving a keyless setup into the operator's account. Channels keep working. See [Account and claim](/account).

## Say this

| Say | Do not say |
| - | - |
| Operator | Owner, user, inviter |
| Contact | Subscriber, recipient |
| Stranger | Unknown sender, guest, anonymous |
| Agent | Relay, bot |
| Host | Caller, client |
| Connect | Pair, link |
| One-time code | Pairing code, token |
| Inbox | Mailbox, queue |
| Conversation | Thread, chat, ticket |
| Unread, open, resolved | New, active, closed, archived |
| Agent Inbox account | Human account |
| Keyless setup | Demo workspace |
| Claim | Transfer, migrate |


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