在
任务移交
架构中,行为会根据状态动态变化。核心机制是:
工具
更新一个状态变量(例如
For a complete implementation, see the tutorial below.
Returning control to the user
When returning control to the user (ending the agent’s turn), ensure the final message is an
current_step
或
active_agent
),该变量在多个回合中持续存在,系统读取此变量来调整行为——要么应用不同的配置(系统提示词、工具),要么路由到不同的
智能体
。此模式支持不同智能体之间的任务移交以及单个智能体内的动态配置更改。
主要特点
-
状态驱动的行为:行为根据状态变量(例如
current_step或active_agent)变化 - 基于工具的转换:工具更新状态变量以在状态之间移动
- 直接用户交互:每个状态的配置直接处理用户消息
- 持久状态:状态在对话回合之间保持
何时使用
当您需要强制执行顺序约束(仅在满足前提条件后解锁功能)、智能体需要在不同状态下直接与用户对话,或者您正在构建多阶段对话流程时,请使用任务移交模式。此模式对于客户支持场景特别有价值,在这些场景中您需要按特定顺序收集信息——例如,在处理退款之前先收集保修 ID。基本实现
核心机制是一个 工具 ,它返回一个
Command
来更新状态,触发转换到新的步骤或智能体:
Why include a
ToolMessage
?
When an LLM calls a tool, it expects a response. The
ToolMessage
with matching
tool_call_id
completes this request-response cycle—without it, the conversation history becomes malformed. This is required whenever your handoff tool updates messages.
Tutorial: Build customer support with handoffs
Learn how to build a customer support agent using the handoffs pattern, where a single agent transitions between different configurations.
Implementation approaches
There are two ways to implement handoffs: single agent with middleware (one agent with dynamic configuration) or multiple agent subgraphs (distinct agents as graph nodes).Single agent with middleware
A single agent changes its behavior based on state. Middleware intercepts each model call and dynamically adjusts the system prompt and available tools. Tools update the state variable to trigger transitions:
Complete example: Customer support with middleware
Complete example: Customer support with middleware
Multiple agent subgraphs
Multiple distinct agents exist as separate nodes in a graph. Handoff tools navigate between agent nodes using
Command.PARENT
to specify which node to execute next.
Complete example: Sales and support with handoffs
Complete example: Sales and support with handoffs
This example shows a multi-agent system with separate sales and support agents. Each agent is a separate graph node, and handoff tools allow agents to transfer conversations to each other.
Context engineering
With subgraph handoffs, you control exactly what messages flow between agents. This precision is essential for maintaining valid conversation history and avoiding context bloat that could confuse downstream agents. For more on this topic, see context engineering . Handling context during handoffs When handing off between agents, you need to ensure the conversation history remains valid. LLMs expect tool calls to be paired with their responses, so when using
Command.PARENT
to hand off to another agent, you must include both:
-
The
AIMessagecontaining the tool call (the message that triggered the handoff) -
A
ToolMessageacknowledging the handoff (the artificial response to that tool call)
Why not pass all subagent messages?
While you could include the full subagent conversation in the handoff, this often creates problems. The receiving agent may become confused by irrelevant internal reasoning, and token costs increase unnecessarily. By passing only the handoff pair, you keep the parent graph’s context focused on high-level coordination. If the receiving agent needs additional context, consider summarizing the subagent’s work in the ToolMessage content instead of passing raw message history.
AIMessage
. This maintains valid conversation history and signals to the user interface that the agent has finished its work.
Implementation Considerations
As you design your multi-agent system, consider:- Context filtering strategy : Will each agent receive full conversation history, filtered portions, or summaries? Different agents may need different context depending on their role.
-
Tool semantics
: Clarify whether handoff tools only update routing state or also perform side effects. For example, should
transfer_to_sales()also create a support ticket, or should that be a separate action? - Token efficiency : Balance context completeness against token costs. Summarization and selective context passing become more important as conversations grow longer.