Sequential Agents

Sequential agents create powerful pipelines where agents execute in a specific order, with each step building on the results of the previous one. Think assembly line for AI - each agent specializes in one part of the process, and the final result is the combined output of all steps working together.

Perfect for workflows where order matters: research before analysis, writing before editing, data collection before processing. Unlike parallel agents that run simultaneously, sequential agents guarantee execution order and enable sophisticated multi-step reasoning.

Quick Start Example

Here's a content creation pipeline that writes, edits, and fact-checks articles in sequence:

import { LlmAgent, SequentialAgent } from "@iqai/adk";

// Step 1: Create initial content
const writerAgent = new LlmAgent({
  name: "writer_agent",
  description: "Creates engaging and informative articles on given topics",
  instruction: `Write a comprehensive, engaging article on the given topic. Include an introduction, main points with examples, and a conclusion.`,
  outputKey: "draft_content", // Key for passing output to next agent
});

// Step 2: Edit for clarity and style
const editorAgent = new LlmAgent({
  name: "editor_agent",
  description: "Edits content for clarity, grammar, and style",
  instruction: `Review and edit the article for clarity, grammar, and style. Improve readability while maintaining the original voice and message.`,
  outputKey: "edited_content", // Key for passing output to next agent
});

// Step 3: Verify facts and add citations
const factCheckerAgent = new LlmAgent({
  name: "fact_checker_agent",
  description: "Verifies factual claims and adds citations where needed",
  instruction: `Verify factual claims in the content. Flag any unsupported statements and add citations where needed. Ensure accuracy and credibility.`,
  outputKey: "verified_content", // Final output key
});

// Sequential pipeline: write → edit → fact_check
const contentCreationAgent = new SequentialAgent({
  name: "content_creation_agent",
  description: "End-to-end content creation with quality controls",
  subAgents: [writerAgent, editorAgent, factCheckerAgent],
});

// Export the sequential agent for use
export { contentCreationAgent };

Visual Flow

How Sequential Processing Works

Sequential agents create a data pipeline where information gets progressively enriched at each step:

🔄 Execution Flow

1. Agent 1 receives the original input and processes it
2. Agent 2 gets both the original input AND Agent 1's output
3. Agent 3 receives original input + Agent 1's output + Agent 2's output
4. This continues for each agent in the sequence

💡 Context Accumulation
Each agent sees the full conversation history, so later agents can reference and build upon earlier agents' work. This creates sophisticated reasoning chains that single agents can't achieve.

🎯 Deterministic Order
Execution order is guaranteed - no race conditions or unpredictable results. Perfect for production workflows where consistency matters.

Real-World Use Cases

📊 Business Intelligence Pipeline
Research → Analysis → Strategic Recommendations → Executive Summary

📝 Content Creation Workflow
Draft → Fact-check → Edit → Style Review → Final Polish

🔍 Technical Documentation
Code Analysis → Documentation Draft → Technical Review → User Testing → Publication

⚖️ Legal Document Review
Initial Review → Compliance Check → Risk Assessment → Final Approval

🧪 Scientific Analysis
Data Collection → Statistical Analysis → Peer Review → Conclusion Generation

When to Choose Sequential Agents

✅ Choose Sequential When:

• Dependencies matter - Later steps need earlier results
• Quality control - Each stage validates and improves the work
• Specialization - Different expertise needed at each step
• Compliance - Regulated workflows requiring specific order
• Complex reasoning - Multi-step analysis and decision making

❌ Don't Use Sequential When:

• Tasks are completely independent
• Speed is more important than thoroughness
• You need real-time parallel processing
• Simple, single-step operations

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