Manager Agent vs Handoff Architecture
In a manager architecture, one agent owns the user interaction and calls specialists as tools. In a handoff architecture, a specialist takes over.
| Question | Manager | Handoff |
|---|---|---|
| Who talks to user? | Manager | Current specialist |
| Control | Centralized | Transferred |
| Best for | One coherent coordinator | Distinct specialist ownership |
Manager benefits
Consistent tone, easier centralized policy, and explicit aggregation of specialist results.
Handoff benefits
Specialists can reason directly over the conversation without the manager translating every turn.