ModelRefs / Single-Agent System — AI Glossary

Single-Agent System — AI Glossary

An AI system using one LLM as the sole reasoning and action engine, equipped with tools to interact with external environments.

Overview

Single-agent architectures are the simplest agent design: one model receives the system prompt, uses a ReAct or CoT loop, calls tools, and produces a final answer. Sufficient for most tasks within a single LLM's context window. Avoids the coordination overhead and failure modes of multi-agent systems.

Reference details

Topicagents
Last reviewed2026-06-24

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Frequently asked questions

What is Single-Agent System?

An AI system using one LLM as the sole reasoning and action engine, equipped with tools to interact with external environments.

What concepts are related to Single-Agent System?

Closely related concepts include agent, tool use, react pattern.