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

# Control agent actions

> Decide what an agent can access, spend, or change before it acts, and stop the tool calls it is not allowed to make.

Give each agent an owner and explicit limits. Before a sensitive tool call, the agent's current permission decides whether the call runs, waits for approval, or stops.

```text theme={"dark"}
Agent          research-agent
Action         Send email
Authority      Draft  ✓
               Send   ✕
Decision       Blocked
```

## What you can limit

| Limit           | What happens                                       |
| --------------- | -------------------------------------------------- |
| Allowed actions | Only the listed actions can run.                   |
| Denied actions  | Always blocked. A denial wins over an allowance.   |
| Human approval  | Irreversible actions wait until a person approves. |
| Spend cap       | Caps how much the agent can pay.                   |
| Expiry          | Permission ends on the date you set.               |
| Revoke          | Permission ends the moment you revoke it.          |

A missing, expired, or revoked permission fails closed.

## Set it up

<Steps>
  <Step title="Give the agent limits">
    [Connect Proofable](/#using-proofable), then ask your assistant:

    ```text theme={"dark"}
    Create or import an agent named research-agent. Allow draft_email, deny send_email, and require human approval for irreversible actions.
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Load its permission where the tool runs">
    ```bash theme={"dark"}
    npx -y @proofable/sdk mount research-agent --apply cursor
    ```

    This writes the agent's current permission to `.proofable/mount.json`. Use `claude` or `codex` in place of `cursor` for those hosts. If the CLI asks for a credential, run `npx -y @proofable/sdk auth --oauth` first.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check before the tool call">
    ```ts theme={"dark"}
    import fs from 'node:fs';
    import { evaluateRuntimeAction } from '@proofable/sdk/runtime-mount';

    const bundle = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync('.proofable/mount.json', 'utf8'));
    const decision = evaluateRuntimeAction(bundle, 'send_email', { irreversible: true });

    if (!decision.allowed) {
      throw new Error(`${decision.code}: ${decision.message}`); // ACTION_DENIED
    }
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

[Guard an agent action](/mcp/guarded-action) walks through the same flow with every decision code.

## Where the check runs

| Where the agent runs           | What enforces the decision                                                   |
| ------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Chat and jobs on Proofable     | Proofable checks permissions, tool access, and proofs before each action.    |
| Cursor, Claude Code, and Codex | The host loads the agent's rules. Start a new session after you mount.       |
| Your own workers and backends  | Your code calls `evaluateRuntimeAction` and stops when `allowed` is `false`. |

Proofable supplies the decision. The system that owns the tool call must honor it.

## Built-in guardrails

* **Connected apps.** Only the capabilities you enable can run. Sends, creates, and deletes still pass through agent permissions. [Connections](/connections)
* **Secrets.** Stored encrypted and never returned in plaintext through MCP. Connected tools run without handing credentials to the model. [Security](/security)
* **Payments.** Set `maxSpend` with the `payments:x402` scope. Your application checks the cap before it signs each payment. [Pay per call](/gates/pay-per-call)
* **Jobs.** A run that needs approval waits for you. Approve to continue, or deny to stop it. [Jobs](/jobs)

## Next

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Guard an agent action" icon="shield-check" href="/mcp/guarded-action">
    Run one allow or deny decision end to end.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Agent permissions" icon="handshake" href="/agents/agent-delegation">
    Every permission field, with examples.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Prove what happened" icon="receipt" href="/use-cases/prove-what-happened">
    Keep a record of each decision and result.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Agents" icon="robot" href="/agents">
    Owners, limits, and proof history for every agent.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>