Pattern Comparison Matrix

This comprehensive matrix helps you choose the right agent pattern for your use case.

Quick Decision Matrix

Use Case	Primary Pattern	Alternative	Rationale
API/Tool Integration	ReAct ⭐⭐⭐	REWOO ⭐⭐	ReAct excels at interactive tool use
Content Writing	Reflection ⭐⭐⭐	STORM ⭐⭐	Reflection for quality, STORM for research
Mathematical Problems	Self-Discovery ⭐⭐⭐	Plan & Solve ⭐⭐	Self-Discovery adapts reasoning strategies
Code Generation	Reflexion ⭐⭐⭐	ReAct ⭐⭐	Reflexion learns from compilation errors
Research Reports	STORM ⭐⭐⭐	Plan & Solve ⭐⭐	STORM designed for multi-perspective research
Data Analysis	Self-Discovery ⭐⭐⭐	LLM Compiler ⭐⭐	Self-Discovery for complex reasoning
Multi-Step Workflows	Plan & Solve ⭐⭐⭐	LLM Compiler ⭐⭐	Plan & Solve for sequential, Compiler for parallel
Cost-Sensitive Tasks	REWOO ⭐⭐⭐	ReAct ⭐⭐	REWOO minimizes LLM calls
Exploratory Problems	LATS ⭐⭐⭐	Self-Discovery ⭐⭐	LATS explores multiple solution paths
Debugging/Troubleshooting	Reflexion ⭐⭐⭐	ReAct ⭐⭐	Reflexion excels at trial-and-error
Question Answering	ReAct ⭐⭐⭐	Reflection ⭐	ReAct for fact-based, Reflection for thoughtful
Creative Writing	Reflection ⭐⭐⭐	Self-Discovery ⭐⭐	Reflection for quality iteration
Planning Complex Projects	Plan & Solve ⭐⭐⭐	Self-Discovery ⭐⭐	Plan & Solve excels at decomposition
Web Research	STORM ⭐⭐⭐	ReAct ⭐⭐	STORM for comprehensive synthesis
Optimization Problems	LATS ⭐⭐⭐	Self-Discovery ⭐⭐	LATS explores solution space systematically

Legend: ⭐⭐⭐ Best Choice | ⭐⭐ Good Alternative | ⭐ Possible but not ideal

Detailed Use Case Analysis

Content Creation & Writing

Blog Posts & Articles

Primary: Reflection ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Iterative refinement produces high-quality content
Alternative: STORM ⭐⭐ (if research-heavy)
When to use Reflection: Quality matters more than speed
When to use STORM: Need comprehensive research from multiple angles

# Reflection for blog posts
agent = ReflectionAgent(
    llm_configs={"documentation": {...}, "reflection": {...}},
    custom_instructions="Write engaging, SEO-friendly blog content"
)

Technical Documentation

Primary: Plan & Solve ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Structured approach ensures completeness
Alternative: Reflection ⭐⭐ (for polish)
When to use Plan & Solve: Need comprehensive, organized documentation
When to use Reflection: Focus on clarity and readability

Research Papers/Reports

Primary: STORM ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Multi-perspective research with source synthesis
Alternative: Plan & Solve ⭐⭐ (for structured reports)
When to use STORM: Need diverse viewpoints and comprehensive coverage
When to use Plan & Solve: Have clear outline, need execution

Creative Fiction

Primary: Reflection ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Iterative refinement improves narrative quality
Alternative: Self-Discovery ⭐ (for complex plots)
When to use Reflection: Focus on prose quality and coherence
When to use Self-Discovery: Complex story structure requires adaptive reasoning

Problem Solving

Mathematical Proofs

Primary: Self-Discovery ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Selects appropriate mathematical reasoning strategies
Alternative: Plan & Solve ⭐⭐
When to use Self-Discovery: Complex, multi-step proofs
When to use Plan & Solve: Straightforward problems with clear steps

Logic Puzzles

Primary: LATS ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Tree search explores solution space systematically
Alternative: Self-Discovery ⭐⭐
When to use LATS: Multiple possible approaches need exploration
When to use Self-Discovery: Need to select best reasoning strategy

Code Debugging

Primary: Reflexion ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Learns from test failures and refines approach
Alternative: ReAct ⭐⭐ (with debugging tools)
When to use Reflexion: Can run tests and get error feedback
When to use ReAct: Need to use debugger or inspection tools

Optimization Problems

Primary: LATS ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Explores and evaluates multiple solutions
Alternative: Self-Discovery ⭐⭐
When to use LATS: Need to find optimal solution among many candidates
When to use Self-Discovery: Need adaptive strategy for complex constraints

Algorithm Design

Primary: Self-Discovery ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Selects appropriate algorithmic reasoning approaches
Alternative: Plan & Solve ⭐⭐
When to use Self-Discovery: Complex algorithms requiring multiple techniques
When to use Plan & Solve: Clear algorithmic structure

Task Automation

API Orchestration

Primary: ReAct ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Interactive reasoning about API calls and responses
Alternative: REWOO ⭐⭐ (for cost efficiency)
When to use ReAct: Need dynamic decision-making based on API responses
When to use REWOO: Predictable API workflow, cost-sensitive

Web Scraping & Data Collection

Primary: ReAct ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Adaptive navigation and data extraction
Alternative: Plan & Solve ⭐⭐ (for structured sites)
When to use ReAct: Dynamic websites requiring adaptive scraping
When to use Plan & Solve: Well-structured sites with predictable layout

ETL Pipelines

Primary: LLM Compiler ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Parallel execution of independent transformations
Alternative: Plan & Solve ⭐⭐
When to use LLM Compiler: Independent data transformations can run in parallel
When to use Plan & Solve: Sequential dependencies between steps

Workflow Automation

Primary: Plan & Solve ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Clear decomposition of multi-step workflows
Alternative: LLM Compiler ⭐⭐ (if parallelizable)
When to use Plan & Solve: Sequential workflow with dependencies
When to use LLM Compiler: Independent tasks can run concurrently

Database Queries

Primary: REWOO ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Efficient planning minimizes expensive database calls
Alternative: ReAct ⭐⭐
When to use REWOO: Cost of queries is high, can plan ahead
When to use ReAct: Need dynamic query adjustment based on results

Research & Analysis

Market Research

Primary: STORM ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Multi-perspective analysis from diverse sources
Alternative: Plan & Solve ⭐⭐
When to use STORM: Need comprehensive view of market landscape
When to use Plan & Solve: Structured research with clear objectives

Competitive Analysis

Primary: STORM ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Synthesizes information from multiple competitors
Alternative: Self-Discovery ⭐⭐
When to use STORM: Need balanced view across competitors
When to use Self-Discovery: Complex comparative reasoning required

Literature Review

Primary: STORM ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Designed for multi-source research synthesis
Alternative: Plan & Solve ⭐⭐
When to use STORM: Need to synthesize diverse academic sources
When to use Plan & Solve: Structured review of specific topics

Data Analysis & Insights

Primary: Self-Discovery ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Adapts analytical approach based on data characteristics
Alternative: Plan & Solve ⭐⭐
When to use Self-Discovery: Exploratory analysis, unclear best approach
When to use Plan & Solve: Standard analytical workflow

Trend Analysis

Primary: STORM ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Synthesizes trends from multiple data sources
Alternative: Self-Discovery ⭐⭐
When to use STORM: Need comprehensive trend synthesis
When to use Self-Discovery: Complex pattern recognition in trends

Software Development

Code Generation

Primary: Reflexion ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Learns from test failures and compilation errors
Alternative: Plan & Solve ⭐⭐
When to use Reflexion: Can run tests and iterate on failures
When to use Plan & Solve: Clear specification, straightforward implementation

Code Review

Primary: Reflection ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Multiple review passes improve quality
Alternative: Self-Discovery ⭐⭐
When to use Reflection: Focus on code quality and best practices
When to use Self-Discovery: Complex code requiring different review strategies

Test Generation

Primary: Plan & Solve ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Systematic decomposition of test scenarios
Alternative: Self-Discovery ⭐⭐
When to use Plan & Solve: Clear testing requirements
When to use Self-Discovery: Need creative test case generation

Refactoring

Primary: Reflexion ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Iterates until tests pass with improved code
Alternative: Reflection ⭐⭐
When to use Reflexion: Have tests to validate refactoring
When to use Reflection: Focus on code clarity and design

Architecture Design

Primary: Self-Discovery ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Selects appropriate architectural reasoning approaches
Alternative: LATS ⭐⭐ (to explore options)
When to use Self-Discovery: Complex system requiring multiple design considerations
When to use LATS: Need to evaluate multiple architectural options

Decision Making

Strategic Planning

Primary: LATS ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Explores and evaluates multiple strategic options
Alternative: Self-Discovery ⭐⭐
When to use LATS: Need to explore multiple paths and outcomes
When to use Self-Discovery: Need adaptive strategic reasoning

Risk Assessment

Primary: Self-Discovery ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Adapts risk analysis approach to situation
Alternative: Plan & Solve ⭐⭐
When to use Self-Discovery: Complex, multifaceted risks
When to use Plan & Solve: Standard risk assessment framework

Resource Allocation

Primary: LLM Compiler ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Evaluates resource allocation scenarios in parallel
Alternative: Self-Discovery ⭐⭐
When to use LLM Compiler: Independent resource allocation decisions
When to use Self-Discovery: Complex interdependencies

Scenario Planning

Primary: LATS ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Explores multiple future scenarios systematically
Alternative: Self-Discovery ⭐⭐
When to use LATS: Need to evaluate diverse future scenarios
When to use Self-Discovery: Need adaptive scenario generation

Customer Support

Troubleshooting

Primary: Reflexion ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Learns from failed solutions, tries alternatives
Alternative: ReAct ⭐⭐ (with diagnostic tools)
When to use Reflexion: Can test solutions and get feedback
When to use ReAct: Need to use diagnostic tools interactively

FAQ Generation

Primary: STORM ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Synthesizes FAQs from multiple customer interactions
Alternative: Plan & Solve ⭐⭐
When to use STORM: Need comprehensive FAQ from diverse sources
When to use Plan & Solve: Structured FAQ based on known topics

Knowledge Base Search

Primary: ReAct ⭐⭐⭐

Why: Interactive search and refinement
Alternative: REWOO ⭐ (for efficiency)
When to use ReAct: Need adaptive search based on results
When to use REWOO: Predictable search patterns

Pattern Characteristics Comparison

Computational Cost

Pattern	LLM Calls	Cost	Best For
ReAct	High (iterative)	$$	Quality interactions
Reflection	Medium-High	$$	Quality content
Plan & Solve	Medium	$	Balanced efficiency
Self-Discovery	High	$$$	Complex reasoning
Reflexion	Very High	$$$	Learning from failures
REWOO	Low	$	Cost-sensitive tasks
LATS	Very High	$$$$	Exploration
LLM Compiler	Medium	$$	Parallel efficiency
STORM	High	$$$	Comprehensive research

Legend: $ Low | $$ Medium | $$$ High | $$$$ Very High

Complexity & Learning Curve

Pattern	Complexity	Setup Time	When to Start With
ReAct	⭐ Simple	Quick	First pattern to learn
Reflection	⭐ Simple	Quick	Great starter pattern
Plan & Solve	⭐⭐ Medium	Moderate	After mastering basics
REWOO	⭐⭐ Medium	Moderate	When cost matters
Self-Discovery	⭐⭐⭐ Complex	Longer	For advanced users
Reflexion	⭐⭐⭐ Complex	Longer	When you understand Reflection
LLM Compiler	⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very Complex	Significant	For expert users
LATS	⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very Complex	Significant	For expert users
STORM	⭐⭐⭐ Complex	Longer	When you need research

Output Quality vs Speed

Quality ↑
|
| Reflexion (learns)     LATS (explores)
|
| Self-Discovery        STORM (comprehensive)
| (adaptive)
|
| Reflection (iterates)
|
| Plan & Solve (structured)    LLM Compiler (parallel)
|
| ReAct (interactive)
|
| REWOO (efficient)
|
└────────────────────────────────────────→ Speed

Recommended Learning Path

Start: ReAct → Learn tool use and iterative reasoning
Next: Reflection → Understand quality improvement through iteration
Then: Plan & Solve → Learn structured decomposition
Intermediate: REWOO, Self-Discovery → Efficiency and adaptation
Advanced: Reflexion, STORM → Learning and research
Expert: LATS, LLM Compiler → Exploration and parallelism

Decision Flowchart

Do you need to use external tools/APIs?
├─ Yes → ReAct (or REWOO if cost-sensitive)
└─ No → Continue

Is quality iteration important?
├─ Yes → Do you learn from failures?
│   ├─ Yes → Reflexion
│   └─ No → Reflection
└─ No → Continue

Is it a planning/decomposition task?
├─ Yes → Are subtasks independent?
│   ├─ Yes → LLM Compiler
│   └─ No → Plan & Solve
└─ No → Continue

Do you need comprehensive research?
├─ Yes → STORM
└─ No → Continue

Do you need to explore multiple solutions?
├─ Yes → LATS
└─ No → Self-Discovery (for adaptive reasoning)

Pattern Combination Strategies

Some tasks benefit from combining patterns:

Sequential Combinations

STORM → Reflection: Research then polish

Use STORM for comprehensive research
Use Reflection to refine and polish the final report

Self-Discovery → Reflexion: Strategy then learning

Use Self-Discovery to select initial approach
Use Reflexion to learn and improve through trials

Plan & Solve → ReAct: Plan then execute

Use Plan & Solve to create detailed plan
Use ReAct to execute steps with tool interaction

Parallel Combinations

Multiple ReAct agents: Parallel tool usage

Different agents handle different tool domains
Combine results for comprehensive answer

Next Steps

Choose a pattern from the matrix above
Read the detailed pattern documentation
Try the examples
Learn about customization