Is it possible to build multiagent systems with shared memory using n8n?

Below is a summary of how n8n supports multiagent setups and shared memory:

Agents and Memory in n8n

• Agent Node:
  n8n offers an Agent node that acts as a decision-maker. This node can execute multiple times within a workflow to perform setup, tool calling, and response evaluation. It’s designed to adapt based on user-defined settings and query specifics.

• Memory Options:
  n8n provides several memory solutions to store conversation context:

  • Window Buffer Memory: Quickly store a configurable length of chat history for the current session.
  • Memory Services: Options such as Redis, Postgres, Motorhead, Xata, and Zep are available for more advanced use cases.
  • Chat Memory Manager: If you need advanced memory management (e.g., overriding memory contents), this node gives additional control.

Shared Memory in Multiagent Systems

• Default Behavior:
  When you add multiple nodes that access memory (e.g., memory sub-nodes attached to different agents), they access the same memory instance by default. This shared setup can lead to conflicts—especially when performing operations that override or clear memory content.

• Mitigation Strategies:

  • Separate Sessions: To avoid interference, you can set different session IDs in different memory nodes. This creates isolated memory instances, ensuring that actions taken in one agent won’t inadvertently affect another.
  • Caution with Destructive Operations: When using nodes like the Chat Memory Manager, be mindful of operations (e.g., “override all messages”) that can impact shared memory.

Suitability for Multiagent Systems

n8n can indeed be used to build multiagent systems, including those that share memory, but consider the following:

• Interaction Management: If multiple agents are intended to interact with or rely on the same memory, you must design your workflow careful to manage how memory is updated and accessed.
• Destructive Actions: The shared memory setup can lead to unexpected behavior if destructive actions occur. Using separate session IDs can help mitigate these issues if agents must operate independently.
• Persistence Limitations: Note that some configurations, such as the Chat Trigger with attached memory sub-nodes, do not persist memory between sessions. If your use case requires persistent memory over time, choose the appropriate memory service.

In summary, n8n is flexible enough to support multiagent systems with shared memory, provided you carefully manage session IDs and be cautious about operations that modify memory contents. Users with experience in such configurations suggest that while it works well, it requires thoughtful workflow design to prevent unintended interference between agents.