Agent Collaboration

Introduction

Collaboration = agents producing artefacts together (drafts, plans, code). Patterns: hand-off, debate, peer-review, swarm.

Beginner analogy: writers and editors trade drafts; agents do the same with messages.

Understanding the topic

Core concepts:

• Hand-off: A finishes, hands artefact to B.
• Debate: two agents argue; a judge picks.
• Peer-review: critique loop.
• Swarm: many specialists, ad-hoc routing.
• Use the simplest pattern that meets quality goals.

Syntax reference

Visual workflow / architecture:

Writer ──► Editor ──► Fact-checker ──► Publisher
                │
                ▼
            Reject? send back

Real-world use

MetaGPT models a software firm; OpenAI Swarm focuses on hand-offs; AutoGen excels at debates.

Best practices

• Hand-off first; debate only if quality demands.
• Always include a final aggregator agent.

Common mistakes

• Debate loops without a judge — they spin forever.

Hands-on exercise

Interview preparation — practice these questions:

• Q1. Four collaboration patterns.
• Q2. When use debate over hand-off?
• Q3. Scenario: peer-review boosted quality but tripled cost. Trade-off discussion?