Lesson 6: Agent Types: Single Prompt vs Multi Prompt vs Conversation Flow

Agent Types

Retell offers three ways to define how your agent behaves:

Single Prompt Agent

  • One system prompt controls the entire conversation
  • Best for: simple, open-ended conversations (FAQs, basic customer service)
  • Fastest to set up — just write clear instructions
  • The agent uses the LLM to decide what to say and when

Multi Prompt Agent

  • Multiple prompts organized in a sequence of states
  • Best for: structured conversations with distinct phases
  • Example: greeting → qualification → scheduling → confirmation
  • Each state has its own prompt and transition rules

Conversation Flow Agent

  • Visual node-based editor for complex logic
  • Best for: branching conversations, conditional paths, heavy API integration
  • Node types: Conversation, Function Call, Code Execution, Logic Split, Transfer, End
  • Most powerful but takes more time to set up

When to Use Which

Scenario Best Type
Simple FAQ bot Single Prompt
Linear call script with stages Multi Prompt
Complex branching with API calls Conversation Flow
Quick prototype Single Prompt
Production call center Conversation Flow