multi-agent-patterns

# Multi-Agent Architecture Patterns

Multi-agent architectures distribute work across multiple language model instances, each with its own context window. When designed well, this distribution enables capabilities beyond single-agent limits. When designed poorly, it introduces coordination overhead that negates benefits. The critical insight is that sub-agents exist primarily to isolate context, not to anthropomorphize role division.

## When to Activate

Activate this skill when:
- Single-agent context limits constrain task complexity
- Tasks decompose naturally into parallel subtasks
- Different subtasks require different tool sets or system prompts
- Building systems that must handle multiple domains simultaneously
- Scaling agent capabilities beyond single-context limits
- Designing production agent systems with multiple specialized components

Do not activate this skill for adjacent work owned by other skills:
- Deciding task-model fit, pipeline shape, or project-level cost before topology is known: `project-development`.
- Designing hosted sandboxes, warm pools, remote sessions, or background runtime infrastructure: `hosted-agents`.
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