1--- 2layout: "docs" 3page_title: "Commands: Agent" 4sidebar_current: "docs-commands-agent" 5description: |- 6 The `consul agent` command is the heart of Consul: it runs the agent that performs the important task of maintaining membership information, running checks, announcing services, handling queries, etc. 7--- 8 9# Consul Agent 10 11The `consul agent` command is the heart of Consul: it runs the agent that 12performs the important task of maintaining membership information, 13running checks, announcing services, handling queries, etc. 14 15Due to the power and flexibility of this command, the Consul agent 16is documented in its own section. See the [Consul Agent](/docs/agent/basics.html) 17section for more information on how to use this command and the 18options it has. 19