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techfind777

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Building Multi-Agent Systems: When One AI Agent Is Not Enough

#ai #architecture #agents #programming

Single agents are powerful. Multiple agents working together are transformational.

But multi-agent systems are also where most people get stuck. Here is how to do it right.

When You Need Multiple Agents

  • Domain expertise differs: A security agent and a content agent need different knowledge
  • Separation of concerns: Clear boundaries between functions
  • Parallel processing: Multiple tasks simultaneously
  • Different trust levels: Some agents need more permissions

Architecture Patterns

Pattern 1: Hub and Spoke

A manager agent delegates tasks to specialist agents. The manager handles routing and synthesis.

Best for: Teams with clear role divisions.

Pattern 2: Pipeline 

Research → Analysis → Writing → Review → Publishing
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Each agent handles one stage and passes output to the next.

Best for: Content production, data processing, sequential workflows.

Pattern 3: Peer Network

Agents communicate as equals. No hierarchy. Each agent decides when to ask for help.

Best for: Complex problem-solving where multiple perspectives are needed.

Implementation Guide

Step 1: Define Each Agent

Each agent gets its own SOUL.md with clear scope:

# SOUL.md - Research Agent
You are a research specialist.
You search the web, analyze sources, produce research briefs.
You do NOT make business decisions or write final content.
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Step 2: Communication Protocol 

When passing work to another agent:
1. Include clear task description
2. Attach all relevant context
3. Specify expected output format
4. Set a deadline if time-sensitive
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Step 3: Shared Memory

  • Shared: Project status, decisions, key findings
  • Private: Working notes, intermediate results
  • Restricted: Credentials, PII

Step 4: Error Handling

  • What if an agent is unresponsive?
  • What if two agents disagree?
  • What if a task falls between agents?

Common Mistakes

  1. Too many agents too soon — start with 2
  2. Unclear boundaries — every task must belong to one agent
  3. No manager — peer networks fail without coordination
  4. Shared state chaos — clear memory rules essential

Templates with multi-agent patterns: 20 SOUL.md Templates

Agent architecture guide: AI Agent Building Guide

Free starter templates: 5 SOUL.md Templates

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