Sequential Agent
A composite agent that runs multiple sub-agents in a defined sequence, where each agent's output is made available to the next agent through session state.
Common Properties
- Name - The custom name of the node.
- Color - The custom color of the node.
- Delay Before (sec) - Waits in seconds before executing the node.
- Delay After (sec) - Waits in seconds after executing node.
- Continue On Error - Automation will continue regardless of any error. The default value is false.
Inputs
- Session ID (optional) - (string) A unique identifier for this specific conversation thread, essential for retrieving it later.
- Name - (string) Name of the agent.
- Description - (string) Description of the sequential agent's purpose and workflow.
- Query - (string) User query to the agent, which will be processed by the first agent in the sequence.
Options
- Sub-Agents Order - (array) Defines the execution order of connected sub-agents. Each entry specifies a Sub-Agent Name.
- Timeout (seconds) - (number) Maximum wait time in seconds for agent operations to finish. Default: 300.
Outputs
- Response - (string) Final response from the last agent in the sequence.
Ports
- sub-agents - (output) Connect to agents (LLM Agent, Sequential Agent, Parallel Agent, Loop Agent) that will execute in sequence.
- callbacks - (output) Connect to Callback In nodes to monitor sequential agent execution.
How It Works
The Sequential Agent node orchestrates a pipeline of agents:
- Initialization - Creates a sequential agent with the specified name and description
- Sub-Agent Connection - Connects to all agents on the sub-agents port
- Ordering - Orders the sub-agents according to the Sub-Agents Order configuration
- Sequential Execution - Executes each agent in order:
- The first agent processes the initial query
- Each subsequent agent has access to the previous agents' outputs via session state
- Results accumulate in the session state as the pipeline progresses
- Response - Returns the final response from the last agent in the sequence
Common Use Cases
- Multi-Stage Processing - Break complex tasks into specialized steps (e.g., research, analysis, summary)
- Validation Workflows - Chain agents for data extraction, validation, and formatting
- Progressive Refinement - Use multiple agents to iteratively improve results
- Specialized Pipelines - Create workflows where each agent has a specific expertise or role
- Handoff Patterns - Implement agent handoffs where one agent prepares data for the next
Error Handling
The node will return errors in the following cases:
- Initialization timeout (30 seconds) - "Agent initialization timed out, cannot process message"
- Invalid sub-agent order - "Order name not found in agent names"
- Sub-agent execution failure - Error from the failing agent is propagated
- Timeout during execution - Operation is terminated after the specified timeout
When Continue On Error is enabled, the workflow will continue even if a sub-agent fails, allowing subsequent nodes to execute.
Usage Notes
- Ordering is Required - All connected sub-agents must be specified in the Sub-Agents Order configuration
- State Sharing - Sub-agents share state through the session, enabling data flow between agents
- Callbacks - Before and after callbacks can be connected to monitor the sequential agent's execution
- Nested Agents - Sequential agents can contain other sequential, parallel, or loop agents for complex workflows
- Session Management - Provide a Session ID to maintain conversation context across multiple executions
- Performance - Execution time is the sum of all sub-agents' execution times
- Output Access - Each agent can access previous agents' outputs via session state keys
Example Workflow
A typical sequential agent workflow might look like:
- Research Agent - Searches for relevant information
- Analysis Agent - Analyzes the gathered data
- Summary Agent - Creates a concise summary
Each agent builds upon the work of the previous agent, with results flowing through the session state.