wicked-garden-agentic-agentic-patterns
Use when designing or analyzing multi-agent architectures — covers core patterns (sequential, hierarchical, parallel, event-driven), anti-patterns, and the five-layer model (Cognition → Context → Interaction → Runtime → Governance) for separating concerns in production-grade agentic systems. NOT for reviewing existing agentic code (use review-methodology) or framework selection (use the frameworks skill).
Resources
1Install
npx skillscat add mikeparcewski/wicked-garden/wicked-garden-agentic-agentic-patterns Install via the SkillsCat registry.
SKILL.md
Agentic Patterns
Reference guide for proven agentic architecture patterns and common anti-patterns to avoid.
Core Patterns
| Pattern | Use when | Example | Tradeoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sequential | Linear workflow, clear dependencies, predictable stages | Research → Analyze → Draft → Review | Simple coordination; bottlenecks if any agent is slow |
| Hierarchical | Complex task decomposable into subtasks; central coordination | PM agent delegates to designer / dev / QA | Clear accountability, scales; single point of failure at parent |
| Collaborative | Diverse perspectives matter; no clear lead | Multiple reviewers collaborating on code review | Rich outputs; needs conflict resolution + consensus |
| Autonomous | Tasks are fully independent; parallel execution | Multiple monitoring agents checking different services | Max parallelism; no shared learning or coordination |
| Human-in-the-Loop | High-stakes decisions, regulatory gates, human feedback | Agent drafts report; human approves before sending | Adds latency; ensures safety and quality |
| ReAct | Dynamic environments; need adaptive behavior on feedback | Debug agent: try fix → observe tests → adapt | Flexible; high token/latency cost for reasoning |
| Plan-Execute | Predictable environment; planning overhead justified | Multi-step pipeline with known transformations | Efficient; brittle if environment changes |
| Reflection | Quality > speed; self-improvement valuable | Writer drafts → critiques → refines | Higher quality; more tokens and latency |
See refs/pattern-catalog.md for full descriptions and implementation notes per pattern.
Anti-Patterns Quick Reference
- God Agent: Single agent doing everything. Split responsibilities.
- Tight Coupling: Agents depend on internal implementation details. Use interfaces.
- Missing Guardrails: No constraints on agent actions. Add validation and limits.
- Deep Nesting: Agents calling agents calling agents. Flatten hierarchy.
- No Observability: Can't see what agents are doing. Add logging and tracing.
- Sequential Bottleneck: Everything waits for slowest agent. Add parallelism.
- Context Bloat: Passing entire history to every agent. Compress and filter.
- Redundant Agents: Multiple agents doing same thing. Consolidate.
- Hardcoded Prompts: Prompts baked into code. Externalize and version.
- Missing Timeouts: Agents can run forever. Add time and resource limits.
Pattern Selection Decision Tree
Is task decomposable into subtasks?
├─ YES: Is there a clear lead/coordinator role?
│ ├─ YES: Use Hierarchical
│ └─ NO: Use Collaborative
└─ NO: Does task require adaptation based on results?
├─ YES: Can you plan all steps upfront?
│ ├─ YES: Use Plan-Execute
│ └─ NO: Use ReAct
└─ NO: Do you have multiple independent tasks?
├─ YES: Use Autonomous
└─ NO: Use SequentialAdd Human-in-the-Loop gates for any high-stakes decisions.
Add Reflection layer when quality is critical.
Combining Patterns
Patterns are composable:
- Hierarchical + ReAct: Parent plans, children adapt execution
- Sequential + Reflection: Each stage includes self-review
- Collaborative + Human-in-Loop: Peer review with human arbitration
- Autonomous + Hierarchical: Independent teams with team leads
Pattern Anti-Affinities
Avoid these combinations:
- Plan-Execute + ReAct: Contradictory - either plan upfront or adapt dynamically
- Autonomous + Tight Coordination: Defeats the purpose of autonomy
- Deep Hierarchies + Reflection: Exponential token cost
Quick Start
- Identify if task is decomposable (subtasks?) or atomic
- Identify if execution is predictable (plan?) or dynamic (adapt?)
- Identify if agents should coordinate (hierarchy/collaboration) or work independently
- Check anti-patterns list against current design
- See refs/pattern-catalog.md for detailed examples
References
refs/pattern-catalog.md- Detailed pattern descriptions with implementation examplesrefs/anti-patterns-design.md- Design anti-patterns (God Agent, Tight Coupling, Missing Guardrails, Deep Nesting, No Observability)refs/anti-patterns-operational.md- Operational anti-patterns (Sequential Bottleneck, Context Bloat, Redundant Agents, Hardcoded Prompts, Missing Timeouts)
Categories
Install
npx skillscat add mikeparcewski/wicked-garden/wicked-garden-agentic-agentic-patterns Install via the SkillsCat registry.