Multi-Agent Architecture

Key takeaways

• Multi-agent systems work only when roles are bounded and communication is structured; otherwise they create hidden state and hard debugging.
• Common patterns are supervisor, pipeline, parallel research, reviewer, and human gate, each suited to a different coordination need.
• Give each agent a role, input schema, output schema, and tool scope, and keep shared state explicit.
• Log handoffs and decisions, cap recursive delegation, and run deterministic checks before side effects.
• If an operator cannot explain which agent made which decision, the architecture is too opaque.

Multi-agent systems work when roles are bounded and communication is structured. Without that, they create hidden state and difficult debugging.

Patterns

Design Rules

• Give each agent a role, input schema, output schema, and tool scope.
• Keep shared state explicit.
• Log handoffs and decisions.
• Avoid agents recursively delegating without a limit.
• Use deterministic checks before side effects.

Review Question

Can an operator explain which agent made which decision? If not, the architecture is too opaque.