# Nansen Agent Guide

> Routing guide -- when to use `nansen agent` (AI research) vs direct CLI data commands. Use when deciding how to answer a user's research question with Nansen tools.

- Skill: `nansen-ai/nansen-agent-guide` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add nansen-ai/nansen-agent-guide`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/nansen-ai/nansen-agent-guide/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: AI & ML
- Author: nansen-ai (https://skillmd.com/u/nansen-ai)
- Updated: 2026-09-10
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/nansen-ai/nansen-agent-guide

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# Agent vs CLI Routing

| Need a... | Use |
|-----------|-----|
| **take** (analysis, interpretation) | `nansen agent` |
| **table** (raw data, specific metrics) | Direct CLI commands |
| **report** (both) | Agent for narrative + CLI for data |

## Use `nansen agent` when

- Question requires interpretation or synthesis across multiple data sources
- Open-ended research: "analyse this wallet", "what's happening with ETH smart money?"

```bash
nansen agent "What are top smart money tokens on Solana today and why?"
nansen agent "Analyse wallet 0x123... -- is this a smart trader?"
nansen agent "..." --expert   # deeper analysis, 750 credits
```

Cost: 200 credits (fast) / 750 credits (expert)

## Use direct CLI commands when

- You need specific structured data -- prices, volumes, holders, flows
- Deterministic question: "top 10 tokens by netflow on ethereum"
- Piping output or building a data table

```bash
nansen research token screener --chain ethereum --smart-money --limit 10
nansen research smart-money netflow --chain solana
nansen research profiler balance --address 0x123... --chain ethereum
```

Cost: 5-50 credits per call

## Anti-patterns

- Don't use `nansen agent` for simple data fetches -- 40x more expensive
- Don't use raw CLI for open-ended analysis -- returns data, not interpretation
- Don't chain 3+ agent calls -- get raw data via CLI, call agent once for synthesis