Same Context, Different Agents: A Behavioral Study of Semantic Layers, Orchestration and Compaction in Data Agents
arXiv:2610.20959v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: Answering questions over heterogeneous data means combining evidence from files, databases, documents and the web. Data agents automate this, but their success depends on context. Three context-engineering techniques (CETs) help by shaping it: semantic layers describe the data, orchestration splits work among agents, and compaction condenses interaction history. Existing studies validate each CET alone, leaving open how agent behavior shapes its…