| name | classify-agent |
| description | Classify a problem into one of four agent architectures: coding harness, dark factory, auto research, or orchestration framework. Implements the "one-question test" diagnostic from Nate Kadlac's agent taxonomy. Use when starting a new agent project, evaluating a build approach, or when someone says "what kind of agent should I build?", "classify this", or "/classify-agent".
|
Agent Architecture Classifier
Takes a problem description and determines which of four agent architectures is the best fit, using the diagnostic question: "What are you optimizing against?"
The Four Architectures
| Architecture | Governing Principle | Optimizing Against | Example |
|---|
| Coding Harness | Decomposition boundaries | Task isolation -- each unit of work touches minimal shared state | Claude Code, Cursor, Aider |
| Dark Factory | Specification-as-code | Convergence to spec -- can an agent reach the target without human input? | StrongDM's autonomous build pipeline |
| Auto Research | Metric + guardrail | Measurable improvement -- is there a benchmark to beat? | Karpathy's 630-line research loop |
| Orchestration Framework | Handoff contracts | Pipeline throughput -- do agents pass clean data to each other? | CrewAI, LangGraph, multi-agent chains |
Phases
Phase 1: Gather Context
Ask the user to describe their problem in 2-3 sentences. If they've already provided it, skip this.
Phase 2: The One-Question Test
Analyze the description against the diagnostic: "What are you optimizing against?"
Map the answer:
- "I need isolated tasks that don't step on each other" -> Coding Harness
- "I need an agent that converges to a precise spec without hand-holding" -> Dark Factory
- "I need to beat a benchmark or improve a measurable metric" -> Auto Research
- "I need multiple agents to coordinate and pass work between them" -> Orchestration Framework
Phase 3: Confirmation Diagnostics
Run three follow-up questions to confirm the classification:
- Decomposition test: "Can the work be split into units that don't share files/state?" (Yes = Coding Harness signal)
- Spec maturity test: "Do you have a precise, testable specification?" (Yes = Dark Factory signal)
- Metric test: "Is there a quantitative benchmark you're trying to beat?" (Yes = Auto Research signal)
- Handoff test: "Does the output of one step become the input of another step with a different agent?" (Yes = Orchestration signal)
Phase 4: Output Classification
Report:
- Primary architecture: The best fit with confidence (high/medium/low)
- Runner-up: Second-best fit if signals are mixed
- Anti-patterns to avoid: Common mistakes for this architecture type
- Governing principle: The one rule that should guide all design decisions
- Next step: What to build first
Verification
- Classification maps to exactly one of the four architectures
- At least 2 of 4 diagnostic signals align with the primary classification
- Anti-patterns are specific to the chosen architecture, not generic advice
Source
Nate Kadlac, "There are 4 kinds of agents and you're probably using the wrong one", natesnewsletter.substack.com, 2026-03-25.
