AI engineering glossary · Agents tools MCP
What is orchestrator-worker pattern?
Orchestrator-worker pattern (also called Orchestrator-workers): A design in which a lead agent splits a task, sends the pieces to worker agents or calls, and combines their results. It suits tasks whose subtasks cannot be known in advance, since the lead decides them dynamically.
Orchestrator-worker pattern: an example
A research lead splits 'compare five EV makers' into five subtasks, each sent to a worker, then merges the findings.
Related terms
More Agents tools MCP terms
- Parallelisation pattern
- Plan-and-execute
- Planning (agents)
- Procedural memory
- Program-aided language model
- Read-only tool
- Reflection
- Replanning
Where you learn it
Orchestrator-worker pattern is part of the AI Engineering Program, which teaches it with notes, a hands-on lab and an exam. The first lesson is free.