# Agent handoff

**Source:** https://promtable.com/glossary/agent-handoff

> Agent handoff is the multi-agent pattern where one agent decides another specialised agent should take over the task — transferring the conversation state to the new agent's context.

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Agent handoff is the multi-agent pattern where one agent decides another specialised agent should take over the task — transferring the conversation state to the new agent's context.

Multi-agent systems in 2026 (OpenAI Swarm, CrewAI, LangGraph hierarchies, Claude sub-agents) use handoffs as their core dispatch primitive. A coordinator agent identifies that the task belongs to a specialist (the billing agent, the code agent, the research agent), summarises the context that matters, and hands off. The receiving agent picks up with focused tools and a focused system prompt. Handoffs avoid the problem of monolithic agents with too many tools mis-routing. The risk: handoff loops where agents bounce work back and forth. Mitigation: max-handoff caps, no-progress detection, and an explicit "answer the user now" terminal action.

## When to use

- Multi-agent systems with specialised sub-agents.
- Customer support agents that route to billing / technical / sales specialists.

## Common mistakes

- Handoff loops — set max-handoff caps.
- Losing critical context across handoff — summarise explicitly.

## Related terms

- [agent](https://promtable.com/glossary/agent)
- [tool-router](https://promtable.com/glossary/tool-router)
- [agent-loop](https://promtable.com/glossary/agent-loop)
- [stateful-agent](https://promtable.com/glossary/stateful-agent)

*Last updated: 2026-06-01*
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Original page: https://promtable.com/glossary/agent-handoff
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