# Multi-Agent System

> A multi-agent system is an application in which several LLM-based agents, each with its own role, instructions, tools, or context, interact by messaging, delegating, or debating to accomplish a task.

- Identifier: PTL-0140
- Category: Agents & Orchestration
- Canonical URL: https://protologue.com/t/multi-agent-system/
- Also known as: multi-agent framework, MAS, agent team

## Description

Splitting work across agents can parallelize research, keep each agent's context focused, and let specialized prompts handle different steps. It also multiplies token cost and adds coordination failures, such as agents duplicating work, losing information at handoffs, or reinforcing each other's mistakes. Common structures include orchestrator-workers, handoffs between specialists, and debate.

## Related terms

- [AI Agent](https://protologue.com/t/ai-agent/)
- [Orchestrator-Workers](https://protologue.com/t/orchestrator-workers/)
- [Handoff](https://protologue.com/t/handoff/)
- [Multi-Agent Debate](https://protologue.com/t/multi-agent-debate/)
- [Agent2Agent Protocol](https://protologue.com/t/agent2agent-protocol/)

## Sources

- Guo et al. (2024). Large Language Model based Multi-Agents: A Survey of Progress and Challenges. https://arxiv.org/abs/2402.01680

## Cite this entry

Protologue. (2026). Multi-Agent System. In Protologue: A Taxonomy of Prompting and LLM Techniques (v1.4.0, PTL-0140). https://protologue.com/t/multi-agent-system/

License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)