AgentPipe

Orchestrate conversations between multiple AI agents. Useful for:

• Getting multiple perspectives on a problem
• Code review from different AI models
• Collaborative brainstorming
• Comparative analysis

Quick Start

Two-Agent Conversation

agentpipe run -a claude:Alice -a gemini:Bob -p "Review this approach to caching"

With TUI and Metrics

agentpipe run -a claude:Reviewer -a codex:Implementer --tui --metrics -p "Design a rate limiter"

From Config File

agentpipe run -c /path/to/config.yaml --tui

Agent Specification

Three formats for -a/--agents:

Available Agents in boxctl

These are installed in the container:

• claude - Anthropic Claude
• codex - OpenAI Codex
• gemini - Google Gemini
• qwen - Alibaba Qwen

Configuration File

For complex setups, use a YAML config:

version: "1.0"

agents:
  - id: reviewer
    type: claude
    name: "Code Reviewer"
    prompt: "You are a senior engineer focused on code quality and bugs."

  - id: architect
    type: gemini
    name: "Architect"
    prompt: "You focus on system design and scalability."

orchestrator:
  mode: round-robin      # round-robin | reactive | free-form
  max_turns: 6
  initial_prompt: "Review this pull request for issues"

logging:
  enabled: true
  show_metrics: true

Conversation Modes

Key Flags

agentpipe run [flags]

  -a, --agents        Agent specs (can repeat)
  -p, --prompt        Initial prompt
  -c, --config        YAML config file
  --mode              Conversation mode
  --max-turns         Max rounds
  --timeout           Per-agent timeout
  --tui               Terminal UI mode
  --no-tui            Disable TUI (for scripting)
  --metrics           Show response metrics
  --json              JSON output

Common Patterns

Code Review Panel

agentpipe run \
  -a claude:Bugs -a gemini:Architecture -a codex:Performance \
  -p "Review this code for issues: $(cat src/api.py)" \
  --mode round-robin --max-turns 3

Architecture Discussion

agentpipe run \
  -a claude:Pragmatist -a gemini:Idealist \
  -p "Should we use microservices or monolith for this startup?" \
  --tui --metrics

Scripted (No TUI)

# For automation - capture output
agentpipe run \
  -a claude -a gemini \
  -p "Summarize the pros/cons of Rust vs Go" \
  --no-tui --max-turns 4 > discussion.txt

Utility Commands

# Check what agents are available
agentpipe doctor

# List agents with details
agentpipe agents list
agentpipe agents list --json

Tips

1. Name your agents - Makes conversations easier to follow: -a claude:Skeptic -a gemini:Optimist

1. Use prompts to set roles - In config files, give each agent a specific perspective

1. Limit turns - Start with --max-turns 4-6 to keep conversations focused

1. TUI for interactive - Use --tui when watching live, --no-tui for scripts

1. Combine with boxctl-analyst - Use agentpipe for brainstorming, analyst MCP for deep dives

When to Use AgentPipe vs Analyst MCP

Troubleshooting

"Agent not found"

Run agentpipe doctor to see which agents are installed.

Conversation stalls

Add --timeout 60 to increase per-response timeout.

Too verbose

Use --max-turns 2-3 for quick comparisons.