Why chain micro-agents?
- Higher quality – Smaller prompts focus the AI on one task at a time.
- Lower cost – Each agent uses less context, so you pay fewer tokens.
- Targeted approval – Different teammates can approve only the steps they own.
- Easy retries – If one agent fails you rerun just that piece, not the whole flow.
How it works
- Create Agent A for task 1 (for example, Research). Its last step says: “Run Agent B with the findings.”
- Create Agent B for task 2 (for example, Analyse). Its last step runs Agent C.
- Create Agent C for task 3 (for example, Report).
- Each run starts a new chat. Results flow downstream automatically.
- Use the chat history search tool to collect results later and build dashboards, digests, or reports.
Real-world examples
Research → analyze → report
- Sarah verifies the research agent.
- Jack verifies the final report.
- The analyze agent needs no approval — it runs automatically.
Hourly KPI monitor
- A “metrics-collector” agent runs every hour.
- A “performance-review” agent (scheduled daily) searches the collector’s chats, crunches numbers, and emails a daily digest.
Marketing content pipeline
- Idea Agent → Draft Agent → Design Agent → Publish Agent
- Different team members approve their own stage only.
Code quality loop
- Static-analysis agent leaves comments → Unit-test agent checks coverage → PR-comment agent posts a summary.
Setting it up in mixus
- Keep each agent short – Aim for 1-3 steps.
- Last step = hand-off – Say “Run
<next-agent-name>
with the output of this step.” - Use clear names – Downstream agents are found by name search.
- Add human checks only where needed – Use the verification toggle per step.
- Analyse later – Create another agent that queries chats with the search chat history tool.
Tips & best practices
- Test each micro-agent on its own before chaining.
- Keep the passed context concise – just the output, not the whole chat.
- Watch your daily execution limits if you schedule many agents.
- Use scheduling to pace chains (e.g., run Analyze 10 mins after Research finishes).
- Combine with integrations – every micro-agent can call any of your connected services.
Relationship to Agent Collaboration
Micro-agent chaining is one specific pattern within the broader concept of Agent Collaboration. While agent collaboration covers various approaches to multi-agent workflows, micro-agent chaining focuses specifically on sequential workflows where small, focused agents pass work to the next agent in a chain. Key differences:- Micro-Agent Chaining: Sequential, linear workflows with clear handoffs
- Agent Collaboration: Includes hierarchical, peer-to-peer, and dynamic collaboration patterns
- Use micro-agent chaining for: Linear processes, step-by-step workflows, simple verification chains
- Use broader collaboration for: Complex coordination, consensus-building, parallel processing, dynamic task allocation
Comprehensive Guides
For advanced micro-agent patterns and implementation details, explore these in-depth guides:Core Concepts
- Micro-Agent Concepts & Architecture - Deep dive into micro-agent design patterns, technical implementation, and benefits over monolithic agents
Implementation Guides
- Context Management & Verification - How to pass context between agents and set up multi-stage verification workflows
- KPI Monitoring & Reporting - Build intelligence layers using search-chat-history to monitor and report on agent performance
- Multi-User Verification Flows - Set up distributed human oversight with different stakeholders approving specific parts of workflows
Advanced Applications
- Advanced Use Cases & Optimization Tips - Creative applications, performance optimization, and advanced patterns for micro-agent chains