Gandalf is the wizard who guides the company in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit.
In the novel, Gandalf helps organize the quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from Smaug. He brings Bilbo Baggins into the expedition and travels for part of the journey with Thorin Oakenshield and the thirteen dwarves.
Gandalf is one of the Istari, spiritual beings sent to Middle-earth to oppose Sauron. In The Hobbit, he is usually called Gandalf the Grey. Tolkien later presents his transformation into Gandalf the White after his battle with the Balrog in The Lord of the Rings.
Saruman is another member of the Istari, but he becomes an enemy. Radagast is also an Istari, while Alatar belongs to the group in Tolkien’s wider mythology. Those names can cause confusion because all are associated with wizardly figures, but Gandalf is the central guide in The Hobbit.