Skip to content
Sync AI AgentsTwo curved arrows chasing each other in a closed loop, each tipped with a filled circle.sync ai agents

Five multi-agent coordination patterns

The patterns are not rivals. Real systems mix them. Use this page to name what you already have, then read the pattern you are about to add.

How do the five patterns compare side by side?

PatternWho decides what runs nextContext lives inHumansTypical failureExample tools
Central orchestratorThe lead agent or graphThe orchestratorAt checkpointsBottleneck; lead lacks subagent contextLangGraph, Microsoft Agent Framework, CrewAI hierarchical, IBM watsonx Orchestrate
HandoffsThe current agentThe handoff messageUsually at the endLost “why” between agentsOpenAI Agents SDK, LangGraph, Microsoft Agent Framework
Event-drivenNobody; agents reactThe event logRarely in the loopNo one knows who owns work nowSolace Agent Mesh, n8n, CrewAI Flows
Shared memoryAgents self-selectThe shared storeCan read the storeStale reads, conflicting writesLetta, LangGraph shared state, Microsoft Agent Framework group chat
Collaboration layerAddressed messages (@mentions)Rooms plus shared memoriesIn the roomOverkill for one agentBAND, Buzz by Block
01

Central orchestrator (supervisor)

One lead agent plans, delegates to subagents, and merges results.

central-orchestrator topologyA simple line diagram of the coordination topology.OABC
Works when
The task decomposes cleanly and one team owns every agent.
Breaks when
The orchestrator becomes the bottleneck or lacks context a subagent had.
Read the pattern
02

Handoffs

Agents pass control to the next specialist, like a relay.

handoffs topologyA simple line diagram of the coordination topology.ABC
Works when
Triage and routing.
Breaks when
The handoff note drops the “why”.
Read the pattern
03

Event-driven choreography

Agents publish and subscribe to events; nobody is in charge.

event-driven topologyA simple line diagram of the coordination topology.ABCD
Works when
High-volume, loosely coupled pipelines.
Breaks when
You need to answer “who is working on this right now?”
Read the pattern
04

Shared memory (blackboard)

Agents read and write a common store.

shared-memory topologyA simple line diagram of the coordination topology.ABC
Works when
Many agents contribute facts to one picture.
Breaks when
Stale reads and conflicting writes.
Read the pattern
05

Collaboration layer (shared rooms)

Agents from any framework and humans work in shared rooms with addressed messages, shared context and delivery tracking.

collaboration-layer topologyA simple line diagram of the coordination topology.ABC
Works when
Agents come from different frameworks and humans need to step in.
Breaks when
You only have one agent.
Read the pattern

What do people ask about coordination patterns?

Inside a single framework, the central orchestrator (supervisor) and handoffs are the most common, because frameworks such as LangGraph, CrewAI and Microsoft Agent Framework ship them built in.

Start with one agent. When you split, start with the simplest pattern that works, usually handoffs or a supervisor, and add a collaboration layer such as BAND when a second framework or a human team joins.

Last reviewed: September 2026