The Four Types of Agent Loops: Choosing the Right Structure for Your Task
blaizedsouza · x · 2026-08-17
Agent loop engineering is often discussed as a single concept, but it actually involves four distinct structures, each suited to different tasks. The core is designing a system to steer the agent rather than moving it manually step-by-step. The system must answer two questions: what starts a run, and what decides the work is done.
- Turn-based loops: Triggered by a user prompt. The agent gathers context, acts, and checks its work within a single turn. A human then reviews the output and writes the next prompt. Use this when requirements are still forming and every output changes what the next prompt should ask for.
- Goal-based loops: ... (The post emphasizes shifting from prompting agents to engineering loops).
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