---
title: "Functions redesigned for agents"
description: "Netlify functions redesigned for agents: easier background function config, event handlers, region selection, and more. No breaking changes."
source: "https://www.netlify.com/changelog/2026-06-25-functions-redesigned-for-agents/"
last_updated: "2026-08-05T01:49:23.000Z"
---
We have redesigned Netlify functions for an improved agent experience.

With these updates, functions are more discoverable, easier to autocomplete, update, and manage for people and agents alike. They move function configuration into code, making it type-safe and immediately visible to editors, tools, and agents, with no platform-specific naming conventions to memorize or get wrong. None of these changes are breaking, so you can adopt them on your own timeline.

Netlify Functions are serverless functions that run on-demand in response to HTTP requests or platform events. They handle server-side logic without any infrastructure to manage, and live in your repository at `netlify/functions/`.

To learn more about these updates in depth, check out our [blog on redesigning Netlify functions for agent experience](https://www.netlify.com/blog/netlify-functions-designed-for-agent-experience). See the table below for a summary.

Feature

What changed

What it means for agents

What you need to do

[Event handlers](https://docs.netlify.com/build/functions/overview/#platform-events)

Export typed event handlers from the default export object

Typed handlers are discoverable like any API, with no magic filenames to guess or get wrong.

Nothing required. Adopt the new syntax for new event handlers for better agent discoverability and updates.

[Background functions](https://docs.netlify.com/build/functions/background-functions/)

Declare with `background: true` in config instead of the `-background` filename suffix

Type-safe and config-driven, not name-driven. Agents can set it in code without guessing platform naming conventions, and get an error if the value is wrong.

Nothing required. The `-background` suffix still works.

[Region selection](https://docs.netlify.com/build/functions/configuration/#region)

Set per-function via the `region` config property, replacing the global UI setting

Agents can set region as a type-safe config property, catching invalid values before deploy rather than at runtime. Use deploy previews to test before going live.

Nothing required. Optionally move region out of the UI into config for per-function control.

[Memory and vCPU](https://docs.netlify.com/build/functions/configuration/#memory-or-vcpu)

Set via `memory` or `vcpu` config properties; both values scale together automatically

Agents provisioning compute-heavy workloads (inference, large payloads) can do so in code.

Nothing. Defaults unchanged. Set only if your workload needs more than 1 GB / 0.5 vCPU. Requires a credit-based Pro plan.

[`getContext()`](https://docs.netlify.com/build/functions/api/#getcontext)

Named import from `@netlify/functions`, replacing the `Netlify.context` global

Named imports surface in autocomplete and carry type information. Globals are invisible to agents; named imports are not.

Nothing required. `Netlify.context` still works. Switch to `getContext()` for better discoverability.

Learn more in the [Netlify Functions documentation](https://docs.netlify.com/build/functions/overview/), which has also been recently revamped.