Router Pattern: Directing Tasks to Specialist Agents
The Router pattern uses a classifier agent to route incoming tasks to the most appropriate specialist agent or workflow — without requiring a single agent to be an expert in everything.
What Is the Router Pattern?
The Router pattern uses an initial classifier step to analyze an incoming task and route it to the most appropriate agent, skill, or workflow. The router doesn't execute the task — it decides who should. This enables a system of specialist agents to serve diverse request types through a single entry point.
When to Use It
- A single interface needs to handle many different types of requests that require different capabilities
- You have specialist agents or workflows that are better suited to specific task types
- Request volume is high enough that routing decisions need to be automated
How It Works
The router receives the incoming request, classifies it (IT issue vs. HR question vs. finance request vs. general query), selects the appropriate destination, and routes with full context. The specialist handles the request and the response flows back through or directly to the user.
The router's classification must be reliable. Test it with a broad set of real request types from your target users — edge cases and ambiguous requests are where routers fail. Build an explicit "I'm not sure" path that routes to a human or presents clarifying options.