ai-agents autonomous-systems developer-tools code-generation

The Agentic Loop: Three loops in a trench coat

bobbytables.io

July 14, 2026

6 min read

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49/100

Summary

Agent loops consist of three distinct components rather than a single loop, creating a more complex "agentic" experience for users. The discussion includes examples of pseudo-code to illustrate these concepts.

Key Takeaways

The agentic experience for customers is composed of three distinct loops: the inference loop, the tool loop, and an unspecified third loop.
The inference loop is responsible for making chat completion API calls, managing chat history, and passing tool usage requests.
Large Language Models (LLMs) operate on a stateless design, requiring the entire conversation context to be sent with each API request.
The tool loop enables LLMs to utilize external tools, enhancing their functionality beyond mere text generation.

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Coverage & discussions

Hacker News · bobbytables.io

The Agentic Loop: Three loops in a trench coat ↗

Community discussions

Hacker News discussion ↗

Historical count: 5 · 5 saved in sample · Historical sample

Analysis ready

Community Sentiment

Mixed

Positives

The pattern of three loops is a compelling framework that could help clarify the interaction between human input and AI processes.
Commenters are actively engaging with the concept, indicating a thriving interest in refining AI models and their architectures.

Concerns

There's skepticism about the effectiveness of these loops for complex tasks, with one commenter noting that agents often reward hacks instead of delivering generalized solutions.
Concerns about the loops being misrepresented in the diagram highlight a lack of consensus on the model's structure and functionality.