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Introduction to Agents

Agents mode transforms how Multi handles ambitious tasks. When enabled, the supervisor agent delegates work to independent subagents-each operating with its own context window and focused scope.

How It Works

Section titled “How It Works”

Instead of processing everything in a single context, Multi breaks down complex work:

  1. Supervisor agent receives your task and creates a plan
  2. Subagents are spawned to handle specific portions of the work
  3. Each subagent completes its assignment and reports back
  4. The supervisor coordinates results and continues until the task is complete

This architecture means you can run tasks that would normally exceed context limits-large refactors, multi-file changes, or long-running operations-without hitting the wall.

Subagents working on a complex task

When to Use Agents

Section titled “When to Use Agents”

Enable agents for:

  • Large-scale refactoring across many files
  • Complex features requiring deep context in multiple areas
  • Long-running tasks that would normally fill the context window
  • Tasks on smaller context models that need to punch above their weight
  • Multi-step operations where each step benefits from focused attention

Keep agents disabled for:

  • Quick fixes and simple edits
  • Single-file changes
  • Tasks where speed matters more than scale
  • Straightforward questions or small code generation

The Tradeoffs

Section titled “The Tradeoffs”

Agents mode is powerful, but comes with costs:

AspectAgents EnabledAgents Disabled
Context capacityVirtually unlimitedLimited by model
Token usageHigher (coordination overhead)Lower
SpeedSlower (subagent coordination)Faster
Task complexityHandles complex multi-part workBest for focused tasks

For trivial tasks, the coordination overhead isn’t worth it. For ambitious work, agents unlock capabilities that would otherwise be impossible.

What’s Next

Section titled “What’s Next”