Step 2 of 8 in Zero to First Company All tips
Getting Startedbeginnercurrenttested against paperclip 0.9

Understanding the architecture

Learn the control plane and agent plane mental model so the rest of Paperclip stops feeling magical.


The simple model

Paperclip is easier once you split it into two jobs:

  • the control plane decides what should happen
  • the agent plane does the work

The control plane is the manager. The agent plane is the team.

Why this matters

Most early confusion comes from mixing those responsibilities together. If you think every agent is also the scheduler, router, budget enforcer, and reviewer, the system feels harder than it is.

What belongs in each layer

Use the control plane for:

  • routing tasks
  • assigning work
  • applying governance
  • tracking cost and status

Use agents for:

  • writing
  • coding
  • researching
  • summarizing

Practical rule

When something feels messy, ask: is this a coordination problem or a task execution problem?

That question usually tells you where to fix it.