Multi-agent architecture guide: 5 patterns and why you shouldn't add agents you don't need
goyalshaliniuk · x · 2026-10-07
- Five common multi-agent patterns and when to use them:
- Sequential: predictable workflows
- Parallel: independent tasks
- Supervisor: dynamic coordination
- Hierarchical: complex organizations
- Debate / Peer Review: agents independently solve the same problem and critique each other (Solution → Critique → Verification), best for high-stakes reasoning, research, and reducing individual-agent mistakes — the goal is better reasoning, not consensus
- Key principle: don't add agents just because you can. Every additional agent introduces latency, cost, communication overhead, and more failure points.
- Start with the simplest architecture that solves the problem, then scale up only as needed.
Related event: Five Architecture Patterns for Building Multi-Agent Systems(2 posts)→
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