Choosing Swarm Patterns
Use when coordinating multiple AI agents with Agent Relay's workflow engine and need to...
Install
npx skills add AgentWorkforce/relay --skill choosing-swarm-patterns -g -a claude-code -y- Repository
- AgentWorkforce/relay1.1k
- Category
- AI and agents
- Updated
- 3d ago
- License
- Apache-2.0
- Context cost
- Mediumabout 3,000 tokens
- Runs scripts
- No, instructions only
What it does
Use when coordinating multiple AI agents with Agent Relay's workflow engine and need to pick the right orchestration pattern - covers the 10 core patterns (fan-out, pipeline, hub-spoke, consensus, mesh, handoff, cascade, dag, debate, hierarchical) plus 14 specialized ones, with decision framework and accurate SDK/YAML examples.
Overview
Overview
The Agent Relay SDK (@agent-relay/sdk) supports 24 swarm patterns via a single swarm.pattern field. Patterns are configured declaratively in YAML, there are no standalone fanOut(...) / hubAndSpoke(...) helpers. Pick the simplest pattern that solves the problem; add complexity only when the system proves it's insufficient.
Run a pattern
TypeScript SDK runner
import { runWorkflow } from '@agent-relay/sdk/workflows';
const run = await runWorkflow('workflows/feature-dev.yaml', {
vars: { task: 'Add OAuth login' },
});
Quick Decision Framework
Is the task independent per agent?
YES → fan-out (parallel workers, hub collects)
Does each step need the previous step's output?
YES → Is it strictly linear?
YES → pipeline
NO → dag (parallel where possible, `dependsOn` edges)
Does a coordinator need to stay alive and adapt?
YES → hub-spoke (single-level hub + workers)
hierarchical (structurally identical in current impl; use for naming/intent)
Is the task about making a decision?
YES → Do agents need to argue opposing sides?
YES → debate (adversarial, full mesh)
NO → consensus (cooperative, full mesh + coordination.consensusStrategy)
Does the right specialist emerge during processing?
YES → handoff (sequential chain, one active at a time)
Do all agents need to freely collaborate?
YES → mesh (full peer-to-peer edges)
Is cost the primary concern?
YES → cascade (chain of increasingly capable agents; each step's prompt
decides whether to pass through or redo the prior output)
