| name | multi-agent-architecture-reference |
| description | Decision matrix for selecting multi-agent topologies (Supervisor, Swarm, Hierarchical, Conductor) with token economics, failure modes, and escalation paths |
| version | 1.1.0 |
| verified | true |
| lastVerifiedAt | 2026-03-01 |
| model | sonnet |
| invoked_by | both |
| user_invocable | true |
| tools | ["Read","WebSearch","WebFetch"] |
| agents | ["architect","planner","master-orchestrator"] |
| category | Planning & Architecture |
| tags | ["multi-agent","architecture","topology","orchestration","decision-matrix","conductor","supervisor","swarm","hierarchical"] |
| source | builtin |
| trust_score | 100 |
| provenance_sha | f26244608372ac6b |
Multi-Agent Architecture Reference
Canonical reference for multi-agent topology selection — provides a 6-topology decision matrix with token economics, failure modes, escalation paths, and links to existing agent-studio patterns.
- Select the optimal multi-agent topology for a given task based on complexity, cost constraints, and fault tolerance requirements
- Estimate token cost multiplier for each topology relative to single-agent baseline
- Identify known failure modes (SE-M01 through SE-M05) and their mitigations
- Map tasks to existing agent-studio patterns (wave-executor, consensus-voting, swarm-coordination)
- Provide escalation path guidance: when to upgrade TRIVIAL → Supervisor → Hierarchical
- Reference conductor pattern as agent-studio's default recommendation
Step 1: Characterize the Task
Answer these four questions before selecting a topology:
- Task independence: Can sub-tasks run in parallel without shared state? (YES → Swarm or Fan-out)
- Task types known: Is the set of task types stable and deterministic at design time? (YES → Supervisor)
- Phase complexity: Does the work require multi-stage sub-orchestration? (YES → Hierarchical or Conductor)
- Stakes: Does an incorrect outcome require multi-reviewer agreement? (YES → Consensus Voting)
Step 2: Apply the Topology Decision Matrix
| Topology | Token Cost | Best For | Failure Modes | Existing Skill |
|---|
| Conductor | ~6x | Sequential phases, ordered agent steps, default agent-studio pattern | Orchestrator overload (SE-M01) | master-orchestrator.md |
| Supervisor | ~5x | Known task types, specialist agents, deterministic routing | Single point of failure; router miscalibration (SE-M01) | Built into Router |
| Fan-out/Fan-in | ~8x | Parallel review/analysis, map-reduce, search | Result aggregation complexity | wave-executor |
| Swarm | ~8x | Independent tasks, load balancing, fault-tolerant processing | Coordination overhead; consensus deadlock; orphaned tasks (SE-M02, SE-M05) | swarm-coordination |
| Consensus Voting | ~12x |
