The orchestrator is the intelligence layer that manages agent interactions. It:
- Interprets user intent
- Selects the appropriate agent(s)
- Coordinates multi-agent workflows
- Resolves conflicts between outputs
- Delivers unified responses
Orchestration Patterns
Choose a pattern based on your use case complexity.- Single Agent: One agent handles all requests. Best for focused, well-defined domains.
- Supervisor: Central orchestrator coordinates multiple specialized agents. Best for complex, parallelizable tasks.
- Adaptive Network: Agents dynamically hand off to each other. Best for sequential, multi-domain workflows.
Pattern Comparison
| Aspect | Single Agent | Supervisor | Adaptive Network | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complexity | Low | Medium | Medium-High | |
| Agents | 1 | Multiple | Multiple | |
| Coordination | None | Centralized | Decentralized | |
| Execution | Sequential | Parallel | Sequential | |
| Latency | Lowest | Medium | Variable | Low |
| Best for | Simple tasks | Complex decomposition | Dynamic hand-offs |
How Orchestration Works
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ User Request │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│ │
│ ▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Intent Analysis │
│ • Parse user input │
│ • Identify required capabilities │
│ • Determine complexity │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│ │
│ ▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Agent Selection │
│ • Match capabilities to agent descriptions │
│ • Consider agent availability and scope │
│ • Select single agent or multiple agents │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│ │
│ ┌───────────────┼───────────────┐
│ ▼ ▼ ▼
│ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐
│ │ Agent A │ │ Agent B │ │ Agent C │
│ └────┬─────┘ └────┬─────┘ └────┬─────┘
│ │ │ │
│ └───────────────┼───────────────┘
│ ▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Response Aggregation │
│ • Collect agent outputs │
│ • Resolve conflicts │
│ • Synthesize unified response │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│ │
│ ▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ User Response │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Choosing the Right Pattern
Use Single Agent when:
- Your app has one primary capability
- Tasks don’t require coordination between specialists
- You want minimal orchestration overhead
- Response latency is critical
Use Supervisor when:
- Tasks can be broken into independent subtasks
- You need parallel execution for speed
- Multiple specialists should contribute to responses
- You want centralized control and conflict resolution
Use Adaptive Network when:
- Tasks flow naturally between domains
- You need dynamic routing based on context
- Agents should autonomously decide when to hand off
- Sequential expertise is required