# Class instantiation Instantiate the Query Agent against an authenticated Weaviate Cloud client. Configuration can be set at construction time (collections, system prompt, and — in Python — a request timeout) and most options can also be overridden per call to `ask()` or `search()`. ## Basic instantiation The Query Agent requires only a target [Weaviate Cloud instance](../manage-clusters/connect.md) to be initialised. First, set up a Weaviate client: :::code-group{sync="languages"} ```python title="Python" import os import weaviate from weaviate.agents.query import QueryAgent from weaviate.classes.init import Auth headers = { ``` ```typescript title="JavaScript/TypeScript" import weaviate from 'weaviate-client'; import { QueryAgent } from 'weaviate-agents'; const headers = { ``` ::: Then pass that client to the Query Agent, and all Weaviate calls via agents will be routed through it. :::code-group{sync="languages"} ```python title="Python" qa = QueryAgent(client=client) ``` ```typescript title="JavaScript/TypeScript" const qa = new QueryAgent(client); ``` ::: :::callout{intent="note" title="Async"} In Python, to instantiate the async Query Agent (`AsyncQueryAgent`), you must also pass an async Weaviate Client via `weaviate.use_async_with_weaviate_cloud`. In JavaScript/TypeScript, the Query Agent is async by default. ::: ## Additional configuration ### Parameters The `QueryAgent` constructor accepts the following arguments: ::::tabs{sync="languages"} :::tab{title="Python"} | Parameter | Type | Description | | --------------- | ----------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `client` | `WeaviateClient` | Required. The Weaviate client connected to a Weaviate Cloud cluster. | | `collections` | `list[str \| QueryAgentCollectionConfig]` | Optional. The collections to query. Can be overridden per call to `ask()` or `search()`. | | `system_prompt` | `str` | Optional. Prompt to provide extra instructions to the agents, as well as define the tone, format, and style of the agent's final response. [See the page on the system prompt for more detail](system-prompt.md). | | `timeout` | `int \| None` | Optional. The maximum time to wait for a response, in seconds. Defaults to 60 seconds. | ::: :::tab{title="JavaScript/TypeScript"} The first argument is the Weaviate client. All other options are passed in a `QueryAgentOptions` object as the second argument. | Parameter | Type | Description | | -------------- | ------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `client` | `WeaviateClient` | Required. The Weaviate client connected to a Weaviate Cloud cluster. | | `collections` | `(string \| QueryAgentCollectionConfig)[]` | Optional. The collections to query. Can be overridden per call to `ask()` or `search()`. | | `systemPrompt` | `string` | Optional. Prompt to provide extra instructions to the agents, as well as define the tone, format, and style of the agent's final response. [See the page on the system prompt for more detail](system-prompt.md). | The TypeScript client does not currently expose a `timeout` option. ::: :::: ### Collections You can define which collections are available either - at the instantiation of the Query Agent base class, :::code-group{sync="languages"} ```python title="Python" qa = QueryAgent( client=client, collections=["FinancialContracts", "Weather"] ) ``` ```typescript title="JavaScript/TypeScript" const qaWithCollections = new QueryAgent(client, { collections: ['FinancialContracts', 'Weather'], }); ``` ::: - or at runtime of the Query Agent's methods, either Ask Mode or Search Mode. :::code-group{sync="languages"} ```python title="Python" qa = QueryAgent(client=client) qa.ask( "What type of contracts have been signed and who were the authors?", collections=["FinancialContracts", "Weather"] ) ``` ```typescript title="JavaScript/TypeScript" const qaWithoutCollections = new QueryAgent(client); await qaWithoutCollections.ask( "What type of contracts have been signed and who were the authors?", { collections: ['FinancialContracts', 'Weather'], }); ``` ::: If you provide both, then the collections specified at runtime will override those specified in the base class. [See the page on collection configuration for more detail](advanced-collections.md). ## Questions and feedback Have a question or feedback? Here's how to reach us. ::::card-grid :::card{title="Community Forum" href="https://forum.weaviate.io/c/support" icon="messages-square"} Ask questions and connect with other developers on our **Community forum**. ::: :::card{title="Support" href="/guides/support-overview" icon="life-buoy"} Weaviate Cloud user or customer? Find the right channel on the **Support page**. ::: :::: ## Related pages - [Agents](./agents-index.md) - [AI-assisted Weaviate code generation](./ai-assisted-vibe-coding-index.md) - [APIs](./apis-index.md) - [Authorization and authentication](./authorization-and-authentication-index.md) - [Benchmarks](./benchmarks-index.md) - [Best practices](./best-practices-index.md) - [Client libraries](./clients-index.md) - [Client Libraries / SDKs](./client-libraries-index.md) - [Cloud](./cloud-index.md) - [Cloud account management](./cloud-account-management-index.md) # Agent Instructions This portal answers questions programmatically. To receive a synthesized, source-cited answer instead of crawling page by page, append the `?ask=` query parameter to any page URL on this site: /guides/quickstart?ask=how+do+I+authenticate Optional parameters: - `&goal=` steers the answer toward your objective (e.g. `&goal=write+a+python+client`). - `&version=