Workflow Agents

Workflow agents orchestrate multiple agents in predictable patterns—sequential pipelines, parallel execution, or iterative loops. Unlike LlmAgent which uses AI reasoning, workflow agents follow deterministic execution paths.

Quick Start

Create a new project:

cargo new workflow_demo
cd workflow_demo

Add dependencies to Cargo.toml:

[dependencies]
adk-rust = "0.2.0"
tokio = { version = "1.40", features = ["full"] }
dotenvy = "0.15"

Create .env:

echo 'GOOGLE_API_KEY=your-api-key' > .env

---

SequentialAgent

SequentialAgent runs sub-agents one after another. Each agent sees the accumulated conversation history from previous agents.

When to Use

• Multi-step pipelines where output feeds into next step
• Research → Analysis → Summary workflows
• Data transformation chains

Complete Example

Replace src/main.rs:

use adk_rust::prelude::*;
use adk_rust::Launcher;
use std::sync::Arc;

#[tokio::main]
async fn main() -> std::result::Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
    dotenvy::dotenv().ok();
    let api_key = std::env::var("GOOGLE_API_KEY")?;
    let model = Arc::new(GeminiModel::new(&api_key, "gemini-2.5-flash")?);

    // Step 1: Research agent gathers information
    let researcher = LlmAgentBuilder::new("researcher")
        .instruction("Research the given topic. List 3-5 key facts or points. \
                     Be factual and concise.")
        .model(model.clone())
        .output_key("research")  // Saves output to state
        .build()?;

    // Step 2: Analyzer agent identifies patterns
    let analyzer = LlmAgentBuilder::new("analyzer")
        .instruction("Based on the research above, identify 2-3 key insights \
                     or patterns. What's the bigger picture?")
        .model(model.clone())
        .output_key("analysis")
        .build()?;

    // Step 3: Summarizer creates final output
    let summarizer = LlmAgentBuilder::new("summarizer")
        .instruction("Create a brief executive summary combining the research \
                     and analysis. Keep it under 100 words.")
        .model(model.clone())
        .build()?;

    // Create the sequential pipeline
    let pipeline = SequentialAgent::new(
        "research_pipeline",
        vec![Arc::new(researcher), Arc::new(analyzer), Arc::new(summarizer)],
    ).with_description("Research → Analyze → Summarize");

    println!("📋 Sequential Pipeline: Research → Analyze → Summarize");
    println!();

    Launcher::new(Arc::new(pipeline)).run().await?;
    Ok(())
}

Run it:

cargo run

Example Interaction

You: Tell me about Rust programming language

🔄 [researcher] Researching...
Here are key facts about Rust:
1. Systems programming language created at Mozilla in 2010
2. Memory safety without garbage collection via ownership system
3. Zero-cost abstractions and minimal runtime
4. Voted "most loved language" on Stack Overflow for 7 years
5. Used by Firefox, Discord, Dropbox, and Linux kernel

🔄 [analyzer] Analyzing...
Key insights:
1. Rust solves the memory safety vs performance tradeoff
2. Strong developer satisfaction drives rapid adoption
3. Trust from major tech companies validates production-readiness

🔄 [summarizer] Summarizing...
Rust is a systems language that achieves memory safety without garbage 
collection through its ownership model. Created at Mozilla in 2010, it's 
been rated the most loved language for 7 consecutive years. Major companies 
like Discord and Linux kernel adopt it for its zero-cost abstractions 
and performance guarantees.

How It Works

┌─────────────┐    ┌─────────────┐    ┌─────────────┐
│  Researcher │ →  │   Analyzer  │ →  │  Summarizer │
│   (step 1)  │    │   (step 2)  │    │   (step 3)  │
└─────────────┘    └─────────────┘    └─────────────┘
       ↓                  ↓                  ↓
 "Key facts..."    "Insights..."    "Executive summary"

1. User message goes to first agent (Researcher)
2. Researcher's response is added to history
3. Analyzer sees: user message + researcher response
4. Summarizer sees: user message + researcher + analyzer responses
5. Pipeline completes when last agent finishes

---

ParallelAgent

ParallelAgent runs all sub-agents concurrently. Each agent receives the same input and works independently.

When to Use

• Multiple perspectives on the same topic
• Fan-out processing (same input, different analyses)
• Speed-critical multi-task scenarios

Complete Example

use adk_rust::prelude::*;
use adk_rust::Launcher;
use std::sync::Arc;

#[tokio::main]
async fn main() -> std::result::Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
    dotenvy::dotenv().ok();
    let api_key = std::env::var("GOOGLE_API_KEY")?;
    let model = Arc::new(GeminiModel::new(&api_key, "gemini-2.5-flash")?);

    // Three analysts with DISTINCT personas (important for parallel execution)
    let technical = LlmAgentBuilder::new("technical_analyst")
        .instruction("You are a senior software architect. \
                     FOCUS ONLY ON: code quality, system architecture, scalability, \
                     security vulnerabilities, and tech stack choices. \
                     Start your response with '🔧 TECHNICAL:' and give 2-3 bullet points.")
        .model(model.clone())
        .build()?;

    let business = LlmAgentBuilder::new("business_analyst")
        .instruction("You are a business strategist and MBA graduate. \
                     FOCUS ONLY ON: market opportunity, revenue model, competition, \
                     cost structure, and go-to-market strategy. \
                     Start your response with '💼 BUSINESS:' and give 2-3 bullet points.")
        .model(model.clone())
        .build()?;

    let user_exp = LlmAgentBuilder::new("ux_analyst")
        .instruction("You are a UX researcher and designer. \
                     FOCUS ONLY ON: user journey, accessibility, pain points, \
                     visual design, and user satisfaction metrics. \
                     Start your response with '🎨 UX:' and give 2-3 bullet points.")
        .model(model.clone())
        .build()?;

    // Create parallel agent
    let multi_analyst = ParallelAgent::new(
        "multi_perspective",
        vec![Arc::new(technical), Arc::new(business), Arc::new(user_exp)],
    ).with_description("Technical + Business + UX analysis in parallel");

    println!("⚡ Parallel Analysis: Technical | Business | UX");
    println!("   (All three run simultaneously!)");
    println!();

    Launcher::new(Arc::new(multi_analyst)).run().await?;
    Ok(())
}

💡 Tip: Make parallel agent instructions highly distinct with unique personas, focus areas, and response prefixes. This ensures each agent produces unique output.

Example Interaction

You: Evaluate a mobile banking app

🔧 TECHNICAL:
• Requires robust API security: OAuth 2.0, certificate pinning, encrypted storage
• Offline mode with sync requires complex state management and conflict resolution
• Biometric auth integration varies significantly across iOS/Android platforms

💼 BUSINESS:
• Highly competitive market - need unique differentiator (neobanks, traditional banks)
• Revenue model: interchange fees, premium tiers, or lending products cross-sell
• Regulatory compliance costs significant: PCI-DSS, regional banking laws, KYC/AML

🎨 UX:
• Critical: fast task completion - check balance must be < 3 seconds
• Accessibility essential: screen reader support, high contrast mode, large touch targets
• Trust indicators important: security badges, familiar banking patterns

How It Works

                    ┌─────────────────┐
                    │  User Message   │
                    └────────┬────────┘
         ┌───────────────────┼───────────────────┐
         ↓                   ↓                   ↓
  ┌─────────────┐    ┌─────────────┐    ┌─────────────┐
  │  Technical  │    │  Business   │    │     UX      │
  │   Analyst   │    │   Analyst   │    │   Analyst   │
  └──────┬──────┘    └──────┬──────┘    └──────┬──────┘
         ↓                   ↓                   ↓
    (response 1)       (response 2)       (response 3)

All agents start simultaneously and results stream as they complete.

---

LoopAgent

LoopAgent runs sub-agents repeatedly until an exit condition is met or max iterations reached.

When to Use

• Iterative refinement (draft → critique → improve → repeat)
• Retry logic with improvement
• Quality gates that require multiple passes

ExitLoopTool

To exit a loop early, give an agent the ExitLoopTool. When called, it signals the loop to stop.

Complete Example

use adk_rust::prelude::*;
use adk_rust::Launcher;
use std::sync::Arc;

#[tokio::main]
async fn main() -> std::result::Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
    dotenvy::dotenv().ok();
    let api_key = std::env::var("GOOGLE_API_KEY")?;
    let model = Arc::new(GeminiModel::new(&api_key, "gemini-2.5-flash")?);

    // Critic agent evaluates content
    let critic = LlmAgentBuilder::new("critic")
        .instruction("Review the content for quality. Score it 1-10 and list \
                     specific improvements needed. Be constructive but critical.")
        .model(model.clone())
        .build()?;

    // Refiner agent improves based on critique
    let refiner = LlmAgentBuilder::new("refiner")
        .instruction("Apply the critique to improve the content. \
                     If the score is 8 or higher, call exit_loop to finish. \
                     Otherwise, provide an improved version.")
        .model(model.clone())
        .tool(Arc::new(ExitLoopTool::new()))  // Can exit the loop
        .build()?;

    // Create inner sequential: critic → refiner
    let critique_refine = SequentialAgent::new(
        "critique_refine_step",
        vec![Arc::new(critic), Arc::new(refiner)],
    );

    // Wrap in loop with max 3 iterations
    let iterative_improver = LoopAgent::new(
        "iterative_improver",
        vec![Arc::new(critique_refine)],
    ).with_max_iterations(3)
     .with_description("Critique-refine loop (max 3 passes)");

    println!("🔄 Iterative Improvement Loop");
    println!("   critic → refiner → repeat (max 3x or until quality >= 8)");
    println!();

    Launcher::new(Arc::new(iterative_improver)).run().await?;
    Ok(())
}

Example Interaction

You: Write a tagline for a coffee shop

🔄 Iteration 1
[critic] Score: 5/10. "Good coffee here" is too generic. Needs:
- Unique value proposition
- Emotional connection
- Memorable phrasing

[refiner] Improved: "Where every cup tells a story"

🔄 Iteration 2
[critic] Score: 7/10. Better! But could be stronger:
- More action-oriented
- Hint at the experience

[refiner] Improved: "Brew your perfect moment"

🔄 Iteration 3
[critic] Score: 8/10. Strong, action-oriented, experiential.
Minor: could be more distinctive.

[refiner] Score is 8+, quality threshold met!
[exit_loop called]

Final: "Brew your perfect moment"

How It Works

     ┌──────────────────────────────────────────┐
     │              LoopAgent                    │
     │  ┌────────────────────────────────────┐  │
     │  │        SequentialAgent              │  │
     │  │  ┌──────────┐    ┌──────────────┐  │  │
  →  │  │  │  Critic  │ →  │   Refiner    │  │  │  →
     │  │  │ (review) │    │ (improve or  │  │  │
     │  │  └──────────┘    │  exit_loop)  │  │  │
     │  │                  └──────────────┘  │  │
     │  └────────────────────────────────────┘  │
     │         ↑_____________↓                  │
     │         repeat until exit                │
     └──────────────────────────────────────────┘

---

ConditionalAgent (Rule-Based)

ConditionalAgent branches execution based on a synchronous, rule-based condition. Use this for deterministic routing like A/B testing or environment-based routing.

ConditionalAgent::new("router", |ctx| ctx.session().state().get("premium")..., premium_agent)
    .with_else(basic_agent)

Note: For LLM-based intelligent routing, use LlmConditionalAgent instead.

---

LlmConditionalAgent (LLM-Based)

LlmConditionalAgent uses an LLM to classify user input and route to the appropriate sub-agent. This is ideal for intelligent routing where the routing decision requires understanding the content.

When to Use

• Intent classification - Route based on what the user is asking
• Multi-way routing - More than 2 destinations
• Context-aware routing - Needs understanding, not just keywords

Complete Example

use adk_rust::prelude::*;
use adk_rust::Launcher;
use std::sync::Arc;

#[tokio::main]
async fn main() -> std::result::Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
    dotenvy::dotenv().ok();
    let api_key = std::env::var("GOOGLE_API_KEY")?;
    let model = Arc::new(GeminiModel::new(&api_key, "gemini-2.5-flash")?);

    // Create specialist agents
    let tech_agent: Arc<dyn Agent> = Arc::new(
        LlmAgentBuilder::new("tech_expert")
            .instruction("You are a senior software engineer. Be precise and technical.")
            .model(model.clone())
            .build()?
    );

    let general_agent: Arc<dyn Agent> = Arc::new(
        LlmAgentBuilder::new("general_helper")
            .instruction("You are a friendly assistant. Explain simply, use analogies.")
            .model(model.clone())
            .build()?
    );

    let creative_agent: Arc<dyn Agent> = Arc::new(
        LlmAgentBuilder::new("creative_writer")
            .instruction("You are a creative writer. Be imaginative and expressive.")
            .model(model.clone())
            .build()?
    );

    // LLM classifies the query and routes accordingly
    let router = LlmConditionalAgent::new("smart_router", model.clone())
        .instruction("Classify the user's question as exactly ONE of: \
                     'technical' (coding, debugging, architecture), \
                     'general' (facts, knowledge, how-to), \
                     'creative' (writing, stories, brainstorming). \
                     Respond with ONLY the category name.")
        .route("technical", tech_agent)
        .route("general", general_agent.clone())
        .route("creative", creative_agent)
        .default_route(general_agent)
        .build()?;

    println!("🧠 LLM-Powered Intelligent Router");
    Launcher::new(Arc::new(router)).run().await?;
    Ok(())
}

Example Interaction

You: How do I fix a borrow error in Rust?
[Routing to: technical]
[Agent: tech_expert]
A borrow error occurs when Rust's ownership rules are violated...

You: What's the capital of France?
[Routing to: general]
[Agent: general_helper]
The capital of France is Paris! It's a beautiful city...

You: Write me a haiku about the moon
[Routing to: creative]
[Agent: creative_writer]
Silver orb above,
Shadows dance on silent waves—
Night whispers secrets.

How It Works

┌─────────────────┐
│  User Message   │
└────────┬────────┘
         ↓
┌─────────────────┐
│   LLM Classifies│  "technical" / "general" / "creative"
│   (smart_router)│
└────────┬────────┘
         ↓
    ┌────┴────┬──────────┐
    ↓         ↓          ↓
┌───────┐ ┌───────┐ ┌─────────┐
│ tech  │ │general│ │creative │
│expert │ │helper │ │ writer  │
└───────┘ └───────┘ └─────────┘

---

Combining Workflow Agents

Workflow agents can be nested for complex patterns.

Sequential + Parallel + Loop

use adk_rust::prelude::*;
use std::sync::Arc;

// 1. Parallel analysis from multiple perspectives
let parallel_analysis = ParallelAgent::new(
    "multi_analysis",
    vec![Arc::new(tech_analyst), Arc::new(biz_analyst)],
);

// 2. Synthesize the parallel results
let synthesizer = LlmAgentBuilder::new("synthesizer")
    .instruction("Combine all analyses into a unified recommendation.")
    .model(model.clone())
    .build()?;

// 3. Quality loop: critique and refine
let quality_loop = LoopAgent::new(
    "quality_check",
    vec![Arc::new(critic), Arc::new(refiner)],
).with_max_iterations(2);

// Final pipeline: parallel → synthesize → quality loop
let full_pipeline = SequentialAgent::new(
    "full_analysis_pipeline",
    vec![
        Arc::new(parallel_analysis),
        Arc::new(synthesizer),
        Arc::new(quality_loop),
    ],
);

---

Tracing Workflow Execution

To see what's happening inside a workflow, enable tracing:

use adk_rust::prelude::*;
use adk_rust::runner::{Runner, RunnerConfig};
use adk_rust::futures::StreamExt;
use std::sync::Arc;

// Create pipeline as before...

// Use Runner instead of Launcher for detailed control
let session_service = Arc::new(InMemorySessionService::new());
let runner = Runner::new(RunnerConfig {
    app_name: "workflow_trace".to_string(),
    agent: Arc::new(pipeline),
    session_service: session_service.clone(),
    artifact_service: None,
    memory_service: None,
    run_config: None,
})?;

let session = session_service.create(CreateRequest {
    app_name: "workflow_trace".to_string(),
    user_id: "user".to_string(),
    session_id: None,
    state: Default::default(),
}).await?;

let mut stream = runner.run(
    "user".to_string(),
    session.id().to_string(), 
    Content::new("user").with_text("Analyze Rust"),
).await?;

// Process each event to see workflow execution
while let Some(event) = stream.next().await {
    let event = event?;
    
    // Show which agent is responding
    println!("📍 Agent: {}", event.author);
    
    // Show the response content
    if let Some(content) = event.content() {
        for part in &content.parts {
            if let Part::Text { text } = part {
                println!("   {}", text);
            }
        }
    }
    println!();
}

---

API Reference

SequentialAgent

SequentialAgent::new("name", vec![agent1, agent2, agent3])
    .with_description("Optional description")
    .before_callback(callback)  // Called before execution
    .after_callback(callback)   // Called after execution

ParallelAgent

ParallelAgent::new("name", vec![agent1, agent2, agent3])
    .with_description("Optional description")
    .before_callback(callback)
    .after_callback(callback)

LoopAgent

LoopAgent::new("name", vec![agent1, agent2])
    .with_max_iterations(5)     // Safety limit (recommended)
    .with_description("Optional description")
    .before_callback(callback)
    .after_callback(callback)

ConditionalAgent

ConditionalAgent::new("name", |ctx| condition_fn, if_agent)
    .with_else(else_agent)      // Optional else branch
    .with_description("Optional description")

ExitLoopTool

// Add to an agent to let it exit a LoopAgent
.tool(Arc::new(ExitLoopTool::new()))

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