| Pattern | Best for | Key constraint |
|---|---|---|
| Fan-Out / Fan-In | Research, independent file analysis, parallel tests | No shared state between agents |
| Pipeline Chains | Research → implementation, multi-stage migrations | Each stage must produce structured output |
| Builder-Validator Pairs | Correctness-critical work — APIs, security, migrations | Validator must be read-only |
| Supervisor / Team Lead | Complex multi-component features | Requires delegate mode |
| Contract Chains / Wave Execution | Full-stack features, parallel work that must integrate | Wave 1 must complete before Wave 2 |
Choosing the right tool: Independent work →
/batch. Report-back only → subagents. Agents need to coordinate → Agent Teams.Official reference — The official sub-agents docs and Agent Teams docs cover the underlying mechanisms. This page is the pattern taxonomy.