# Concepts
URL: /concepts

import LearnMore from "@/components/learn-more";

Tambo applications are built on a few core ideas: generative interfaces that render React components from conversation, tools that let the AI call your functions, context that keeps the AI informed about your app's state, and threads that persist every conversation automatically.

Understanding these concepts will help you make better decisions about how to structure your Tambo integration. Each concept maps directly to APIs you'll use in your code -- components you register, hooks you call, and configuration you set in the dashboard.

<LearnMore title="Generative Interfaces" description="How Tambo creates dynamic, visual interfaces in response to conversation" href="/concepts/generative-interfaces" />

<LearnMore title="Tools" description="How function calling transforms natural language interfaces into operating systems" href="/concepts/tools" />

<LearnMore title="Additional Context" description="Help Tambo understand your users' environment and intent" href="/concepts/additional-context" />

<LearnMore title="Conversation Storage" description="How Tambo automatically persists conversations across your application" href="/concepts/conversation-storage" />

<LearnMore title="Agent Configuration" description="Configure your Tambo agent's behavior, LLM provider, MCP servers, and authentication" href="/concepts/agent-configuration" />

<LearnMore title="Model Context Protocol" description="Connect external tools and data sources using the Model Context Protocol" href="/concepts/model-context-protocol" />

<LearnMore title="User Authentication" description="Authenticate users and keep each user's threads and messages isolated" href="/concepts/user-authentication" />