Definition · architectures
planner-executor
planner-executor is an agent design that splits deciding what to do from doing it. You can spot planner-executor in practice when the record shows what the system observes, what choice it makes, and what changes next, without asking the reader to guess or trust a slogan.
157 definitions656 sourced recordsNamed source: ACL Anthology
Why does planner-executor matter?
Splitting plans from action makes each part easier to test. It also creates a clear point for review. For planner-executor, start with three checks: Who chooses the next step? Where does state live between steps? Who owns recovery when a step fails? The answers should point to visible evidence, not a promise.
What does planner-executor look like?
One model drafts a repair plan, and a tool runner performs each approved step. This example makes planner-executor visible by naming the actor, the action, and the result in practice. It is an illustration for readers, not a claim that every product behaves this way.
What is planner-executor easy to confuse with?
Planner-executor splits step choice from step action. Plan-and-execute is the wider workflow pattern. The closest entries here are planner, planning, base workflow. Compare their definitions with planner-executor before using the names as if they mean the same thing. That comparison keeps planner-executor separate from nearby ideas without pretending the boundary is always perfect.
How certain is this definition?
This definition is provisional. ACL Anthology supports the version you see today, but a better or more direct source may change it. Open the cited page and check its date before you use this entry to choose a product, write a policy, set a safety control, or design a system.
Who introduced the term planner-executor?
We have not verified who first introduced planner-executor. The source supports a useful definition, but it may not be the earliest use. Until a dated primary record settles the question, we leave the origin open. A popular article or product page is not enough to name the person who coined a term.
What should you understand before planner-executor?
Read agent workflow first when planner-executor depends on a more basic idea or mechanism. The link gives you a useful route through the glossary. It does not mean every author teaches the subject in this order, so follow the source when the sequence matters.
What should this term help you answer?
Use planner-executor to ask what an agent can observe, decide, change, remember, or hand off. The questions below turn the definition into a practical check. They are prompts for your own work, not claims made by the source, so change them to fit the system you are examining.
- Who chooses the next step?
- Where does state live between steps?
- Who owns recovery when a step fails?
Which source supports this definition of planner-executor?
ACL Anthology supports this working definition of planner-executor. We checked the link on 2026-07-12. Open the original record for its context, methods, limits, and publication details. The short explanation here is a guide to planner-executor; the linked source remains the evidence to inspect when the wording or boundary matters.
source foundplanner-executorChecked 2026-07-12→