mlsanityData to 7 Oct 2026

Agent Design Pattern Catalogue: A Collection of Architectural Patterns for Foundation Model based Agents

arXiv 2405.10467 ↗First posted 16 May 2024cs.AI cs.SEcited by 35

On the map: LLM agents and tool use → General LLM agent frameworks and benchmarks

Abstract (arXiv)

Foundation model-enabled generative artificial intelligence facilitates the development and implementation of agents, which can leverage distinguished reasoning and language processing capabilities to takes a proactive, autonomous role to pursue users' goals. Nevertheless, there is a lack of systematic knowledge to guide practitioners in designing the agents considering challenges of goal-seeking (including generating instrumental goals and plans), such as hallucinations inherent in foundation models, explainability of reasoning process, complex accountability, etc. To address this issue, we have performed a systematic literature review to understand the state-of-the-art foundation model-based agents and the broader ecosystem. In this paper, we present a pattern catalogue consisting of 18 architectural patterns with analyses of the context, forces, and trade-offs as the outcomes from the previous literature review. We propose a decision model for selecting the patterns. The proposed catalogue can provide holistic guidance for the effective use of patterns, and support the architecture design of foundation model-based agents by facilitating goal-seeking and plan generation.

Key facts. Cited by 35 papers in the map (data through 7 Oct 2026). Placed in General LLM agent frameworks and benchmarks, one of 16 directions in LLM agents and tool use. Builds on 55 of its 77 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 16 May 2024.

Builds on

55 of 77 references.

Closest ancestors · 13

Same direction, newest first

  1. 2024More Agents Is All You Need3 Feb
  2. 2023Towards Responsible Generative AI: A Reference Architecture for Designing Foundation Model based Agents22 Nov
  3. 2023Igniting Language Intelligence: The Hitchhiker's Guide From Chain-of-Thought Reasoning to Language Agents20 Nov
  4. 2023Multi-Agent Consensus Seeking via Large Language Models31 Oct
  5. 2023OpenAgents: An Open Platform for Language Agents in the Wild16 Oct
  6. 2023SMART-LLM: Smart Multi-Agent Robot Task Planning using Large Language Models18 Sep
  7. 2023A Survey on Large Language Model based Autonomous Agents22 Aug
  8. 2023ProAgent: Building Proactive Cooperative Agents with Large Language Models22 Aug
  9. 2023ExpeL: LLM Agents Are Experiential Learners20 Aug
  10. 2023ChatEval: Towards Better LLM-based Evaluators through Multi-Agent Debate14 Aug
  11. 2023MetaGPT: Meta Programming for A Multi-Agent Collaborative Framework1 Aug
  12. 2023Multi-Agent Collaboration: Harnessing the Power of Intelligent LLM Agents5 Jun
1 more
  1. 2023Harms from Increasingly Agentic Algorithmic Systems20 Feb

Other references · 42

  1. 2023GPT-4 Technical Reportcited by 18,132
  2. 2022Chain-of-Thought Prompting Elicits Reasoning in Large Language Modelscited by 12,302
  3. 2023Reflexion: Language Agents with Verbal Reinforcement Learningcited by 4,064
  4. 2021On the Opportunities and Risks of Foundation Modelscited by 3,961
  5. 2023Generative Agents: Interactive Simulacra of Human Behaviorcited by 3,500
  6. 2023Tree of Thoughts: Deliberate Problem Solving with Large Language Modelscited by 3,155
  7. 2023Voyager: An Open-Ended Embodied Agent with Large Language Modelscited by 2,081
  8. 2023Improving Factuality and Reasoning in Language Models through Multiagent Debatecited by 1,739
  9. 2024SWE-agent: Agent-Computer Interfaces Enable Automated Software Engineeringcited by 1,628
  10. 2018World Modelscited by 1,444
  11. 2023MemGPT: Towards LLMs as Operating Systemscited by 1,295
  12. 2023HuggingGPT: Solving AI Tasks with ChatGPT and its Friends in Hugging Facecited by 1,173
30 more
  1. 2023Llama Guard: LLM-based Input-Output Safeguard for Human-AI Conversationscited by 1,124
  2. 2022Inner Monologue: Embodied Reasoning through Planning with Language Modelscited by 1,057
  3. 2023Encouraging Divergent Thinking in Large Language Models through Multi-Agent Debatecited by 995
  4. 2022Large Language Models Can Self-Improvecited by 656
  5. 2023Plan-and-Solve Prompting: Improving Zero-Shot Chain-of-Thought Reasoning by Large Language Modelscited by 550
  6. 2020Underspecification Presents Challenges for Credibility in Modern Machine Learningcited by 488
  7. 2023NeMo Guardrails: A Toolkit for Controllable and Safe LLM Applications with Programmable Railscited by 347
  8. 2023MedAgents: Large Language Models as Collaborators for Zero-shot Medical Reasoningcited by 311
  9. 2024Foundational Challenges in Assuring Alignment and Safety of Large Language Modelscited by 193
  10. 2024Corrective Retrieval Augmented Generationcited by 187
  11. 2023ReWOO: Decoupling Reasoning from Observations for Efficient Augmented Language Modelscited by 174
  12. 2024Empowering Biomedical Discovery with AI Agentscited by 117
  13. 2023PRD: Peer Rank and Discussion Improve Large Language Model based Evaluationscited by 114
  14. 2023Retroformer: Retrospective Large Language Agents with Policy Gradient Optimizationcited by 110
  15. 2023Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is: Evaluating Strategic Planning and Execution of LLM Agents in an Auction Arenacited by 78
  16. 2023VELMA: Verbalization Embodiment of LLM Agents for Vision and Language Navigation in Street Viewcited by 67
  17. 2023RCAgent: Cloud Root Cause Analysis by Autonomous Agents with Tool-Augmented Large Language Modelscited by 62
  18. 2024Selective Reflection-Tuning: Student-Selected Data Recycling for LLM Instruction-Tuningcited by 57
  19. 2023EcoAssistant: Using LLM Assistant More Affordably and Accuratelycited by 47
  20. 2024LLM Voting: Human Choices and AI Collective Decision Makingcited by 47
  21. 2024Towards Human-AI Deliberation: Design and Evaluation of LLM-Empowered Deliberative AI for AI-Assisted Decision-Makingcited by 38
  22. 2023Blind Judgement: Agent-Based Supreme Court Modelling With GPTcited by 37
  23. 2023Retrieval-augmented Generation to Improve Math Question-Answering: Trade-offs Between Groundedness and Human Preferencecited by 37
  24. 2023CoQuest: Exploring Research Question Co-Creation with an LLM-based Agentcited by 34
  25. 2023DRDT: Dynamic Reflection with Divergent Thinking for LLM-based Sequential Recommendationcited by 27
  26. 2024RAG and RAU: A Survey on Retrieval-Augmented Language Model in Natural Language Processingcited by 25
  27. 2023Prompt Sapper: A LLM-Empowered Production Tool for Building AI Chainscited by 24
  28. 2024FeB4RAG: Evaluating Federated Search in the Context of Retrieval Augmented Generationcited by 19
  29. 2023SeeHow: Workflow Extraction from Programming Screencasts through Action-Aware Video Analyticscited by 4
  30. 2022A Pattern Language for Blockchain Governancecited by 2

Built on by

Cited by year (2026 to 7 Oct)

Citing papers per year: 2024: 9; 2025: 13; 2026: 13.

35 papers.

Sort:

By area:

  1. 2024Magentic-One: A Generalist Multi-Agent System for Solving Complex Taskscited by 221
  2. 2024Large Language Model-Based Agents for Software Engineering: A Surveycited by 173
  3. 2025From LLM Reasoning to Autonomous AI Agents: A Comprehensive Reviewcited by 146
  4. 2024HoneyComb: A Flexible LLM-Based Agent System for Materials Sciencecited by 56
  5. 2024AgentOps: Enabling Observability of LLM Agentscited by 46
  6. 2025Magentic-UI: Towards Human-in-the-loop Agentic Systemscited by 41
  7. 2025AgentMisalignment: Measuring the Propensity for Misaligned Behaviour in LLM-Based Agentscited by 22
  8. 2025Personalized Attacks of Social Engineering in Multi-turn Conversations: LLM Agents for Simulation and Detectioncited by 13
  9. 2025Agentic Visualization: Extracting Agent-based Design Patterns from Visualization Systemscited by 12
  10. 2026AgentTrace: A Structured Logging Framework for Agent System Observabilitycited by 8
  11. 2026PerspectiveGap: A Benchmark for Multi-Agent Orchestration Promptingcited by 6
  12. 2025SWEnergy: An Empirical Study on Energy Efficiency in Agentic Issue Resolution Frameworks with SLMscited by 5
23 more
  1. 2024A Taxonomy of Architecture Options for Foundation Model-based Agents: Analysis and Decision Modelcited by 4
  2. 2025Using LLMs in Generating Design Rationale for Software Architecture Decisionscited by 4
  3. 2026Agentic Design Patterns: A System-Theoretic Frameworkcited by 4
  4. 2024Towards Modeling Human-Agentic Collaborative Workflows: A BPMN Extensioncited by 3
  5. 2025Ontology- and LLM-based Data Harmonization for Federated Learning in Healthcarecited by 3
  6. 2025Designing LLM-based Multi-Agent Systems for Software Engineering Tasks: Quality Attributes, Design Patterns and Rationalecited by 3
  7. 2026Toward Architecture-Aware Evaluation Metrics for LLM Agentscited by 3
  8. 2024Integrating ESG and AI: A Comprehensive Responsible AI Assessment Frameworkcited by 2
  9. 2024Responsible AI Question Bank: A Comprehensive Tool for AI Risk Assessmentcited by 2
  10. 2026Interpreting Agentic Systems: Beyond Model Explanations to System-Level Accountabilitycited by 2
  11. 2026A Two-Dimensional Framework for AI Agent Design Patterns: Cognitive Function and Execution Topologycited by 2
  12. 2024A Layered Architecture for Developing and Enhancing Capabilities in Large Language Model-based Software Systemscited by 1
  13. 2025Will Agents Replace Us? Perceptions of Autonomous Multi-Agent AIcited by 1
  14. 2026A Reference Architecture for Agentic Hybrid Retrieval in Dataset Searchcited by 1
  15. 2026Odyssey: Constructing Verifiable Local Truth-Preserving Foundation Modelscited by 1
  16. 2026What makes prompts a graph: necessary and sufficient conditions for prompt graph engineeringcited by 1
  17. 2025Allen: Rethinking MAS Design through Step-Level Policy Autonomycited by 0
  18. 2025Is the `Agent' Paradigm a Limiting Framework for Next-Generation Intelligent Systems?cited by 0
  19. 2025POLARIS: Is Multi-Agentic Reasoning the Next Wave in Engineering Self-Adaptive Systems?cited by 0
  20. 2026Describing Agentic AI Systems with C4: Lessons from Industry Projectscited by 0
  21. 2026Watts and Debts of Agentic Frameworks: An Empirical Study (Registered Report)cited by 0
  22. 2026Value-Preserving Architectures for Agentic AI Systemscited by 0
  23. 2026Trustworthy Data- and ML-Ops for Intelligent Transportation Systems and Logisticscited by 0

Similar, not cited

Close in wording, no citation either way

  1. 2025Patterns for a New Generation: AI and Agents
  2. 2025AgentArcEval: An Architecture Evaluation Method for Foundation Model based Agents
  3. 2026Foundation-Model-Based Agents in Industrial Automation: Purposes, Capabilities, and Open Challenges
  4. 2026The Agent Use of Agent Beings: Agent Cybernetics Is the Missing Science of Foundation Agents
  5. 2026Architecting Agentic Communities using Design Patterns
  6. 2024Foundation Model Sherpas: Guiding Foundation Models through Knowledge and Reasoning
  7. 2025Control Plane as a Tool: A Scalable Design Pattern for Agentic AI Systems
  8. 2024Position: Foundation Agents as the Paradigm Shift for Decision Making