The Composability Problem: When Agents Build on Top of Other Agents

The Composability Problem: When Agents Build on Top of Other Agents#

Software engineers take composability for granted. You import a library, call a function, get a result. The library doesn’t disappear mid-execution. It doesn’t refuse to work because you haven’t paid enough. It doesn’t suddenly change its API without warning.

Agents can’t assume any of this.

When Agent A wants to use Agent B’s capabilities, it enters a world of uncertainty that traditional software never faces. Agent B might be offline. It might be overloaded. It might have changed owners. It might demand payment. It might return garbage. It might take five minutes or five hours.