A deterministic workflow follows steps chosen by application code. Branches may depend on known rules, but the model does not decide the overall path. An agentic workflow lets a model choose actions based on the current state.
Deterministic workflows are easier to test, secure, predict, and price. Agentic workflows handle ambiguous tasks and unexpected intermediate results, but their paths vary and may loop or choose a poor tool.
Use fixed code when the process is known, especially for permissions, payments, and compliance. Add agentic decisions only where the next step truly depends on language understanding or open-ended evidence. Many reliable systems combine a deterministic shell with a small agentic step.
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