AI / Agentic AI Interview Questions
When should you use a hierarchical (cyclical graph) architecture instead of a single-loop agent?
A single-loop agent works well for tasks that are relatively linear and don't need much structural control over what happens next.
- Use a graph-based, hierarchical architecture when a workflow has clear branching logic, like different paths for success versus failure
- Useful when specific steps need mandatory checkpoints, such as a human approval node before an irreversible action
- Better suited to enterprise workflows where auditability and predictable execution paths matter more than maximum flexibility
The trade-off is flexibility, a single-loop agent can improvise more freely, while a graph-based structure trades some of that freedom for a workflow whose possible paths are fully known in advance.
When is a graph-based architecture especially useful?
What trade-off does a graph-based structure accept?
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