Multi-Agent Orchestration Patterns

Multiple agents help when specialization, independent context, parallel work, or distinct tool permissions create value. They also add cost, latency, debugging complexity, and new failure modes.

Define boundaries

Each agent should have a clear responsibility and tool set. If two agents can do everything, routing becomes unpredictable.

Prevent unbounded delegation

Set maximum turns, delegation depth, and task budgets. Multi-agent loops can consume large amounts of model and tool capacity.

Measure against a simpler baseline

Before keeping a multi-agent design, compare its accuracy, latency, cost, and maintainability with one strong agent plus tools.