Overview
Processes are execution orchestration patterns in OrbitAI that determine how tasks are assigned to agents and in what order they execute. The process type fundamentally shapes how work flows through your agent system, from simple sequential chains to complex hierarchical coordination.Sequential
Tasks execute one after another in order
Hierarchical
Manager coordinates and delegates tasks
Flow-Based
Dependency-driven execution with parallelization
Context Flow
Information flows between tasks
Dynamic Assignment
Intelligent agent selection per task
Error Handling
Configurable failure strategies
Key Characteristics
Deterministic Execution
Deterministic Execution
Processes provide predictable execution patterns with well-defined task ordering and agent assignment strategies.
Context Management
Context Management
Each process type manages how context and results flow between tasks, enabling tasks to build upon previous outputs.
Agent Coordination
Agent Coordination
Processes determine how multiple agents work together, from simple turn-taking to sophisticated delegation patterns.
Scalability
Scalability
Different process types offer different scalability characteristics, from simple sequential execution to complex parallel workflows.
Process Types
OrbitAI supports multiple process types, each suited for different workflow patterns:Sequential Process
The simplest and most common process type where tasks execute one after another.- Overview
- Characteristics
- Use Cases
- Example
Sequential Process executes tasks in a strict linear order, with each task completing before the next begins.Execution Flow:
Sequential is the default process type and works well for most workflows where tasks have clear dependencies.
Hierarchical Process
Advanced process type where a manager agent coordinates and delegates tasks to worker agents.- Overview
- Characteristics
- Use Cases
- Example
Hierarchical Process introduces a manager-worker pattern where a designated manager agent:Execution Flow:
- Analyzes the overall workflow
- Decides task assignment strategies
- Delegates tasks to appropriate worker agents
- Coordinates execution and monitors progress
Flow-Based Process
Advanced dependency-driven execution with support for parallel task execution.- Overview
- Characteristics
- Use Cases
- Example
Flow-Based Process uses a TaskFlow structure to define complex workflows with:Execution Flow:
- Explicit task dependencies
- Parallel execution where possible
- Topological sorting for optimal ordering
- Conditional execution
- Failure handling strategies
Task Dependencies and Processes
How Processes Affect Task Execution
- Sequential
- Hierarchical
- Flow-Based
Sequential Process Behavior
Task Dependencies:- Tasks execute in array order
- Each task waits for previous to complete
- Context automatically includes all previous outputs
- If any task fails, entire workflow stops
- No subsequent tasks execute
- Error propagates to orbit result
Context Interpolation
All process types support context variable interpolation:Task Output References
Task Output References
Reference previous task outputs in descriptions:Variable Format:
{task_0_output}- First task’s output{task_1_output}- Second task’s output{task_N_output}- Nth task’s output
Task indices are 0-based, matching array indexing in Swift.
Orbit Inputs
Orbit Inputs
Use orbit-level inputs in any task:
Agent Context
Agent Context
Tasks automatically receive agent context:
Best Practices
Process Selection
Use Sequential For
Simple Linear Workflows
- Clear dependencies
- Each step builds on previous
- Easy to understand and debug
Use Hierarchical For
Complex Coordination
- Many agents with different skills
- Dynamic task assignment needed
- Quality validation required
- Load balancing important
Use Flow-Based For
Parallel Opportunities
- Independent tasks can run simultaneously
- Complex dependency graphs
- Performance critical workflows
- Build systems and pipelines
Consider Hybrid
Nested Workflows
- Sequential top-level
- Hierarchical within phases
- Flow-based for parallelizable sections
Context Management
1
Explicit Context References
Always declare context dependencies:
2
Minimize Context Size
Keep context concise for better performance:
3
Structure Outputs
Use structured outputs for easier downstream processing:
Performance Optimization
Parallelization
Parallelization
Maximize parallel execution opportunities:
Agent Reuse
Agent Reuse
Reuse agents efficiently:
Concurrency Limits
Concurrency Limits
Set appropriate concurrency limits:
Early Failure Detection
Early Failure Detection
Configure appropriate failure handling:
Error Handling
- Sequential
- Hierarchical
- Flow-Based
Troubleshooting
Tasks Executing in Wrong Order
Tasks Executing in Wrong Order
Symptoms: Tasks run in unexpected sequenceCauses:
- Using hierarchical process (manager decides order)
- Missing dependency declarations in flow-based
- Context references without proper dependencies
Context Variables Not Resolving
Context Variables Not Resolving
Symptoms:
{task_N_output} appears literally in outputCauses:- Missing context declaration
- Wrong task index
- Task not executed yet (dependency issue)
Hierarchical Manager Not Delegating
Hierarchical Manager Not Delegating
Symptoms: Manager doesn’t assign tasks to workersCauses:
- Manager missing
allowDelegation: true - Manager lacks delegation tools
- Poor manager context/prompting
Circular Dependency Errors
Circular Dependency Errors
Symptoms: “Circular dependency detected” errorCauses:
- Task A depends on Task B depends on Task A
- Indirect circular dependencies through multiple tasks
Poor Parallelization Performance
Poor Parallelization Performance
Symptoms: Flow-based not faster than sequentialCauses:
- Too many dependencies (tasks can’t parallelize)
- Low
maxConcurrentTaskssetting - API rate limits
- Tasks too small (overhead > benefit)
Context Window Overflow
Context Window Overflow
Symptoms: Token limit errors with many tasksCauses:
- Accumulating context from all previous tasks
- Large task outputs
- Many tasks in workflow
Process Comparison
Decision Matrix
| Criteria | Sequential | Hierarchical | Flow-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complexity | Simple | Complex | Medium-High |
| Setup Effort | Low | High | Medium |
| Parallelization | None | Manager-driven | Explicit |
| Agent Assignment | Auto or explicit | Manager decides | Auto or explicit |
| Debugging | Easy | Moderate | Moderate |
| Best For | Linear workflows | Dynamic coordination | Pipelines |
| Performance | Predictable | Variable | High potential |
| Learning Curve | Low | High | Medium |
When to Use Each
Sequential
Choose when:
- Tasks have clear linear flow
- Each step builds on previous
- Simplicity is important
- Debugging ease matters
- Team is learning OrbitAI
- Content creation
- Report generation
- Data processing chains
Hierarchical
Choose when:
- Many specialized agents
- Dynamic task assignment needed
- Quality validation required
- Load balancing important
- Complex coordination
- Agent expertise varies greatly
- Software development projects
- Customer support routing
- Research coordination
Flow-Based
Choose when:
- Independent tasks exist
- Performance is critical
- Complex dependencies
- Parallel execution possible
- Building pipelines
- Need fine control
- ETL pipelines
- Build systems
- Test suites
- Data aggregation
Next Steps
Tasks
Learn about task configuration
Agents
Configure agents for processes
Orbits
Create complete workflows
Examples
See process examples
For additional support, consult the GitHub Discussions or check the Issue Tracker.