---
title: "FAQ"
description: "Short answers about history, custom prompts, retries, plan gating and the other ScholarXIV agent surfaces."
canonical_url: "https://scholarxiv.com/developers/docs/agent-api/faq"
markdown_url: "https://scholarxiv.com/developers/docs/agent-api/faq.md"
---

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](/llms.txt).

# FAQ
URL: /developers/docs/agent-api/faq
LLM index: /llms.txt
Description: Short answers about history, custom prompts, retries, plan gating and the other ScholarXIV agent surfaces.
Related: agent-api, agent-api/tools, mcp/tools, router-api/completions

# FAQ

## Can I send my own system prompt or history?

No. Caller-supplied history, system prompts, user IDs, plan IDs, and tool definitions are rejected. The agent runs its own prompt, and stored history reloads from `chat_id`. Account custom instructions apply as they do on the website.

## Does it store conversations?

Yes. Every turn is persisted under `chat_id`, and the same conversation opens in the website's chat workspace. Read and manage it through [Conversations](/developers/docs/agent-api/conversations).

## Why did my connection drop and should I resend?

Execution is tied to the active request. There is no background run, so a dropped connection may still have saved a turn or run tools. Read the conversation with your saved `chat_id` first — see [Errors](/developers/docs/agent-api/errors).

## How is this different from the Router API?

The Router API chooses or runs a model. The Agent API runs the research workflow around it: tools, continuation, compaction, and storage. Use the [Router Chat Completions API](/developers/docs/router-api/completions) when you want a raw completion.

## How does this compare to MCP?

MCP exposes the same engine as tools for editors and agent clients, including `research_chat`. It returns a completed answer rather than token streaming. Over HTTP, use `stream: true` — see [Streaming](/developers/docs/agent-api/streaming).

## Does the plan gate the tools?

Yes. Tools, models, and deep research resolve live against the key owner's plan on every call. See [Tools and limits](/developers/docs/agent-api/tools).

## Is there a health equivalent?

Yes — `POST /api/v1/health/chat` runs the same harness with the health profile and medical tools. See the [Health Chat API](/developers/docs/health-api).

## Sitemap

See the full [sitemap](/sitemap.md) for all pages.
Docs-scoped sitemap: [/docs/sitemap.md](/docs/sitemap.md).
Well-known sitemap: [/.well-known/sitemap.md](/.well-known/sitemap.md).