Flow Control

No imperative code, no manual orchestration. Just declare what you want.

Execution Modes

Sequential Execution

Agents with dependencies run sequentially:

agents:
  - name: fetch
    agent: fetcher
    inputs:
      url: ${input.url}

  - name: process
    operation: code
    config:
      script: scripts/process-fetch-output
    input:
      fetchOutput: ${fetch.output}

// scripts/process-fetch-output.ts
import type { AgentExecutionContext } from '@ensemble-edge/conductor'

export default function processFetchOutput(context: AgentExecutionContext) {
  const { fetchOutput } = context.input
  return { processed: fetchOutput }
}

  - name: store
    operation: data
    config:
      backend: d1
      binding: DB
      operation: execute
      sql: INSERT INTO data (json) VALUES (?)
      params: [${process.output}]

Execution order: fetch process store (because each depends on the previous)

Parallel Execution

Agents without dependencies run in parallel:

agents:
  # These 3 run in parallel
  - name: fetch-a
    agent: fetcher
    inputs:
      url: https://api-a.com

  - name: fetch-b
    agent: fetcher
    inputs:
      url: https://api-b.com

  - name: fetch-c
    agent: fetcher
    inputs:
      url: https://api-c.com

  # This waits for all 3
  - name: merge
    operation: code
    config:
      script: scripts/merge-fetch-results
    input:
      fetchA: ${fetch-a.output}
      fetchB: ${fetch-b.output}
      fetchC: ${fetch-c.output}

// scripts/merge-fetch-results.ts
import type { AgentExecutionContext } from '@ensemble-edge/conductor'

export default function mergeFetchResults(context: AgentExecutionContext) {
  const { fetchA, fetchB, fetchC } = context.input
  return {
    a: fetchA,
    b: fetchB,
    c: fetchC
  }
}

Performance: 3x faster than sequential execution.

Conditional Execution

Simple Conditions

Skip agents based on boolean expressions:

agents:
  - name: generate
    operation: think
    condition: ${input.use_ai}  # Only run if input.use_ai is true
    config:
      provider: openai
      model: gpt-4o-mini
      prompt: ${input.text}

Based on Previous Outputs

agents:
  - name: validate
    agent: validator
    inputs:
      data: ${input.data}

  - name: process
    condition: ${validate.output.valid}  # Only run if valid
    operation: code
    config:
      script: scripts/process-data
    input:
      data: ${input.data}

// scripts/process-data.ts
import type { AgentExecutionContext } from '@ensemble-edge/conductor'

export default function processData(context: AgentExecutionContext) {
  const { data } = context.input
  return { processed: data }
}

  - name: log-error
    condition: ${!validate.output.valid}  # Only run if invalid
    operation: data
    config:
      backend: d1
      binding: DB
      operation: execute
      sql: INSERT INTO errors (data) VALUES (?)
      params: [${validate.output.errors}]

Cache-or-Generate Pattern

agents:
  - name: check-cache
    operation: storage
    config:
      type: kv
      action: get
      key: result-${input.query}

  # Only generate if cache miss
  - name: generate
    condition: ${check-cache.output.value === null}
    operation: think
    config:
      provider: openai
      model: gpt-4o-mini
      prompt: ${input.query}

  # Only save if generated
  - name: save-cache
    condition: ${generate.executed}
    operation: storage
    config:
      type: kv
      action: put
      key: result-${input.query}
      value: ${generate.output}

output:
  result: ${check-cache.output.value || generate.output}
  from_cache: ${!generate.executed}

Error Handling

Fallback Pattern

agents:
  - name: try-primary
    operation: http
    config:
      url: https://primary-api.com
    retry:
      maxAttempts: 2
      backoff: exponential

  - name: try-secondary
    condition: ${try-primary.failed}  # Only if primary failed
    operation: http
    config:
      url: https://backup-api.com

  - name: use-cache
    condition: ${try-primary.failed && try-secondary.failed}
    operation: storage
    config:
      type: kv
      action: get
      key: cached-data

output:
  data: ${try-primary.output || try-secondary.output || use-cache.output}
  source: ${(() => {
    if (try-primary.executed && !try-primary.failed) return 'primary';
    if (try-secondary.executed && !try-secondary.failed) return 'secondary';
    return 'cache';
  })()}

Retry Logic

agents:
  - name: flaky-operation
    operation: http
    config:
      url: https://api.example.com
    retry:
      maxAttempts: 3            # Try up to 3 times
      backoff: exponential       # Exponential backoff (1s, 2s, 4s)
      initialDelay: 1000         # Start with 1 second
      maxDelay: 10000            # Cap at 10 seconds
      retryOn: [500, 502, 503]   # Only retry these status codes

Complex Conditions

Multiple Conditions

agents:
  - name: premium-processing
    condition: ${input.user.premium && input.data.size < 10000000}
    operation: think
    config:
      provider: openai
      model: gpt-4o
      prompt: ${input.data}

  - name: standard-processing
    condition: ${!input.user.premium || input.data.size >= 10000000}
    operation: think
    config:
      provider: openai
      model: gpt-4o-mini
      prompt: ${input.data}

Dynamic Routing

agents:
  - name: classify
    operation: think
    config:
      provider: openai
      model: gpt-4o-mini
      prompt: |
        Classify this request: "${input.text}"
        Return only: urgent, normal, or low

  # Route based on classification
  - name: urgent-handler
    condition: ${classify.output === 'urgent'}
    agent: urgent-processor
    inputs:
      data: ${input.text}

  - name: normal-handler
    condition: ${classify.output === 'normal'}
    agent: normal-processor
    inputs:
      data: ${input.text}

  - name: low-handler
    condition: ${classify.output === 'low'}
    agent: low-processor
    inputs:
      data: ${input.text}

output:
  result: ${urgent-handler.output || normal-handler.output || low-handler.output}
  priority: ${classify.output}

Loops and Iteration

Array Processing

agents:
  # Process each item in array
  - name: process-items
    operation: code
    config:
      script: scripts/process-items
    input:
      items: ${input.items}

// scripts/process-items.ts
import type { AgentExecutionContext } from '@ensemble-edge/conductor'

function processItem(item: any) {
  // Process individual item logic here
  return { ...item, processed: true }
}

export default function processItems(context: AgentExecutionContext) {
  const { items } = context.input
  return {
    results: items.map((item: any) => processItem(item))
  }
}

Batch Processing

agents:
  - name: fetch-batch
    operation: data
    config:
      backend: d1
      binding: DB
      operation: query
      sql: SELECT * FROM queue WHERE processed = false LIMIT ?
      params: [${input.batch_size || 100}]

  - name: process-batch
    condition: ${fetch-batch.output.rows.length > 0}
    operation: code
    config:
      script: scripts/process-batch-rows
    input:
      rows: ${fetch-batch.output.rows}

// scripts/process-batch-rows.ts
import type { AgentExecutionContext } from '@ensemble-edge/conductor'

function processRow(row: any) {
  // Process individual row logic here
  return { ...row, processed: true }
}

export default function processBatchRows(context: AgentExecutionContext) {
  const { rows } = context.input
  return {
    results: rows.map((row: any) => ({
      id: row.id,
      result: processRow(row)
    }))
  }
}

  - name: mark-processed
    condition: ${process-batch.executed}
    operation: data
    config:
      backend: d1
      binding: DB
      operation: execute
      sql: |
        UPDATE queue SET processed = true
        WHERE id IN (${process-batch.output.results.map(r => r.id).join(',')})

output:
  processed_count: ${process-batch.output?.results.length || 0}
  has_more: ${fetch-batch.output.rows.length === input.batch_size}

Performance Optimization

Minimize Dependencies

# Bad: Sequential (slow)
agents:
  - name: step1
    operation: http
    config:
      url: https://api-a.com

  - name: step2
    operation: http
    config:
      url: https://api-b.com
      data: ${step1.output}  # Creates dependency

# Good: Parallel (fast)
agents:
  - name: step1
    operation: http
    config:
      url: https://api-a.com

  - name: step2
    operation: http
    config:
      url: https://api-b.com

  - name: merge
    operation: code
    config:
      script: scripts/merge-step-outputs
    input:
      stepA: ${step1.output}
      stepB: ${step2.output}

// scripts/merge-step-outputs.ts
import type { AgentExecutionContext } from '@ensemble-edge/conductor'

export default function mergeStepOutputs(context: AgentExecutionContext) {
  const { stepA, stepB } = context.input
  return {
    a: stepA,
    b: stepB
  }
}

Early Termination

Skip expensive operations when possible:

agents:
  # Quick validation first
  - name: quick-check
    operation: code
    config:
      script: scripts/quick-spam-check
    input:
      text: ${input.text}

// scripts/quick-spam-check.ts
import type { AgentExecutionContext } from '@ensemble-edge/conductor'

export default function quickSpamCheck(context: AgentExecutionContext) {
  const { text } = context.input
  const lowerText = text.toLowerCase()
  return { spam: lowerText.includes('viagra') }
}

  # Only do expensive AI if not obvious spam
  - name: ai-moderation
    condition: ${!quick-check.output.spam}
    operation: think
    config:
      provider: openai
      model: gpt-4o-mini
      prompt: Moderate: ${input.text}

output:
  safe: ${quick-check.output.spam ? false : ai-moderation.output.safe}
  reason: ${quick-check.output.spam ? 'spam detected' : ai-moderation.output.reason}

Advanced Patterns

Fan-Out/Fan-In

Process multiple items in parallel, then aggregate:

agents:
  # Fan-out: Process each URL in parallel
  - name: scrape-url-1
    condition: ${input.urls[0]}
    agent: scraper
    inputs:
      url: ${input.urls[0]}

  - name: scrape-url-2
    condition: ${input.urls[1]}
    agent: scraper
    inputs:
      url: ${input.urls[1]}

  - name: scrape-url-3
    condition: ${input.urls[2]}
    agent: scraper
    inputs:
      url: ${input.urls[2]}

  # Fan-in: Aggregate results
  - name: aggregate
    operation: code
    config:
      script: scripts/aggregate-scrape-results
    input:
      scrape1: ${scrape-url-1.output}
      scrape2: ${scrape-url-2.output}
      scrape3: ${scrape-url-3.output}

// scripts/aggregate-scrape-results.ts
import type { AgentExecutionContext } from '@ensemble-edge/conductor'

export default function aggregateScrapeResults(context: AgentExecutionContext) {
  const { scrape1, scrape2, scrape3 } = context.input
  return {
    results: [scrape1, scrape2, scrape3].filter(r => r !== undefined)
  }
}

output:
  all_results: ${aggregate.output.results}

Pipeline with Validation

agents:
  - name: fetch-data
    agent: fetcher
    inputs:
      url: ${input.url}

  - name: validate-schema
    agent: validator
    inputs:
      data: ${fetch-data.output}
      schema: data-schema

  - name: transform
    condition: ${validate-schema.output.valid}
    operation: code
    config:
      script: scripts/transform-data
    inputs:
      data: ${fetch-data.output}

  - name: validate-business-rules
    condition: ${transform.executed}
    agent: validator
    inputs:
      data: ${transform.output}
      schema: business-rules

  - name: store
    condition: ${validate-business-rules.output.valid}
    operation: data
    config:
      backend: d1
      binding: DB
      operation: execute
      sql: INSERT INTO data (json) VALUES (?)
      params: [${transform.output}]

output:
  success: ${store.executed}
  errors: ${validate-schema.output.errors || validate-business-rules.output.errors}

Circuit Breaker

agents:
  - name: check-circuit
    operation: storage
    config:
      type: kv
      action: get
      key: circuit-breaker-${input.service}

  - name: call-service
    condition: ${check-circuit.output.value !== 'open'}
    operation: http
    config:
      url: ${input.service_url}
    retry:
      maxAttempts: 1

  - name: update-circuit
    operation: storage
    config:
      type: kv
      action: put
      key: circuit-breaker-${input.service}
      value: ${call-service.failed ? 'open' : 'closed'}
      expirationTtl: ${call-service.failed ? 60 : null}

  - name: fallback
    condition: ${call-service.failed || check-circuit.output.value === 'open'}
    operation: storage
    config:
      type: kv
      action: get
      key: cached-${input.service}

output:
  data: ${call-service.output || fallback.output}
  circuit_open: ${check-circuit.output.value === 'open'}

Best Practices

Parallel by Default - Only add dependencies when necessary
Condition Expensive Operations - Skip work when possible
Handle Failures - Always have fallbacks
Use Retry Logic - For transient failures
Early Termination - Fast checks before slow operations
Cache Strategically - Cache expensive results
Test Flow Paths - Test all conditional branches
Monitor Performance - Track execution times

Next Steps

State Management

Share data across agents

A/B Testing

Test multiple variants

Operations

Learn about operations

Playbooks

Real-world patterns

Conductor

Getting Started

Core Concepts

Building

Components

Operations Reference

Plugins

Starter Kit

Playbooks

Reference

Execution Modes

Sequential Execution

Parallel Execution

Conditional Execution

Simple Conditions

Based on Previous Outputs

Cache-or-Generate Pattern

Error Handling

Fallback Pattern

Retry Logic

Complex Conditions

Multiple Conditions

Dynamic Routing

Loops and Iteration

Array Processing

Batch Processing

Performance Optimization

Minimize Dependencies

Early Termination

Advanced Patterns

Fan-Out/Fan-In

Pipeline with Validation

Circuit Breaker

Best Practices

Next Steps

State Management

A/B Testing

Operations

Playbooks

Conductor

Getting Started

Core Concepts

Building

Components

Operations Reference

Plugins

Starter Kit

Playbooks

Reference

​Execution Modes

​Sequential Execution

​Parallel Execution

​Conditional Execution

​Simple Conditions

​Based on Previous Outputs

​Cache-or-Generate Pattern

​Error Handling

​Fallback Pattern

​Retry Logic

​Complex Conditions

​Multiple Conditions

​Dynamic Routing

​Loops and Iteration

​Array Processing

​Batch Processing

​Performance Optimization

​Minimize Dependencies

​Early Termination

​Advanced Patterns

​Fan-Out/Fan-In

​Pipeline with Validation

​Circuit Breaker

​Best Practices

​Next Steps

State Management

A/B Testing

Operations

Playbooks

Execution Modes

Sequential Execution

Parallel Execution

Conditional Execution

Simple Conditions

Based on Previous Outputs

Cache-or-Generate Pattern

Error Handling

Fallback Pattern

Retry Logic

Complex Conditions

Multiple Conditions

Dynamic Routing

Loops and Iteration

Array Processing

Batch Processing

Performance Optimization

Minimize Dependencies

Early Termination

Advanced Patterns

Fan-Out/Fan-In

Pipeline with Validation

Circuit Breaker

Best Practices

Next Steps