When to reach for it
- Responsibility clearly shifts between specialists.
- User interactions must switch to the appropriate agent.
- Security boundaries apply per agent.
Handoff.
One agent yields. Another takes over.
An agent completely transfers control and relevant context to another specialist.
When it backfires
- Multiple agents must contribute simultaneously.
- Control must remain with a central supervisor.
- Context transfer cannot be reliably bounded.
The tradeoff
Clear transfer of responsibility is achieved at the risk of losing vital context during the handoff.
A shape you can draw on a napkin.
Agent A completes its turn, packages context, and transfers control to Agent B. A single directed handoff.
Two ways this pattern will hurt you.
Context is silently truncated during transfer
The handoff carries only the last N messages. Earlier context (user preferences, constraints) is lost.
Fix · Define a structured context schema for every handoff. Include user state, constraints, and pending obligations.
Handoff loops — A → B → A indefinitely
The handoff condition has no history. Agents ping-pong because each thinks the other is the right owner.
Fix · Track handoff history in state. Cap total handoffs per user session and escalate to a supervisor on exhaustion.
Where Handoff is native.
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