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🤖Learn the Planner-Executor Agent Pattern

Stop watching ReAct loops drift through twenty tool calls to do a five-step job. Build the intuition for when an explicit plan beats step-by-step reaction, then sketch the planner and executor for one of your own multi-step workflows.

Advanced14 drops~2-week path · 5–8 min/daytechnology

Phase 1Why Short-Horizon Agents Drift

See why short-horizon agents drift on multi-step tasks

4 drops

  1. ReAct re-plans every step — that's the bug, not the feature

    6 min

    ReAct re-plans every step — that's the bug, not the feature

  2. A planner and an executor are two different jobs for two different prompts

    6 min

    A planner and an executor are two different jobs for two different prompts

  3. Planning once is cheaper than planning at every turn

    6 min

    Planning once is cheaper than planning at every turn

  4. Pick a plan when the task has shape, not when it's hard

    7 min

    Pick a plan when the task has shape, not when it's hard

Phase 2ReAct vs Plan-and-Execute, Side by Side

Run the same task with ReAct and Plan-and-Execute

5 drops

  1. Set up one task, two agents, one shared trace

    7 min

    Set up one task, two agents, one shared trace

  2. Count the tool calls before you read the answer

    6 min

    Count the tool calls before you read the answer

  3. Final answers diverge most where the plan was hardest to write

    7 min

    Final answers diverge most where the plan was hardest to write

  4. Read the plan, then read the trace — never the other way around

    6 min

    Read the plan, then read the trace — never the other way around

  5. Some tasks deserve ReAct — keep one in your back pocket

    7 min

    Some tasks deserve ReAct — keep one in your back pocket

Phase 3Hierarchies, Replanning, and Human Checkpoints

Add hierarchy, replanning, and human checkpoints to plans

4 drops

  1. Your planner just emitted a 40-step plan

    7 min

    Your planner just emitted a 40-step plan

  2. Step 4 just failed — what does your agent do now?

    7 min

    Step 4 just failed — what does your agent do now?

  3. The same task arrived again — do you re-plan?

    6 min

    The same task arrived again — do you re-plan?

  4. The plan is good — but it touches production. Who approves?

    7 min

    The plan is good — but it touches production. Who approves?

Phase 4Sketch Your Own Planner and Executor

Sketch a planner and executor for your own workflow

1 drop

  1. Sketch the planner and executor for one of your workflows

    8 min

    Sketch the planner and executor for one of your workflows

Frequently asked questions

What is the planner-executor agent pattern?
This is covered in the “Learn the Planner-Executor Agent Pattern” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
How is Plan-and-Execute different from ReAct?
This is covered in the “Learn the Planner-Executor Agent Pattern” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
When does an explicit plan actually beat ReAct?
This is covered in the “Learn the Planner-Executor Agent Pattern” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
How do you handle replanning when an executor step fails?
This is covered in the “Learn the Planner-Executor Agent Pattern” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
Where do human-in-the-loop checkpoints fit in a planner-executor agent?
This is covered in the “Learn the Planner-Executor Agent Pattern” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.

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