> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.praison.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Agent Execution

> Control agent execution limits - iterations, time, rate limiting, and retries

Execution configuration controls how agents run - maximum iterations, time limits, rate limiting, and retry behavior.

```mermaid theme={"theme":{"light":"vitesse-light","dark":"vitesse-dark"}}
graph LR
    subgraph "Execution Limits"
        Iter[🔄 Iterations<br/>max_iter=20]
        Time[⏱️ Time<br/>max_execution_time]
        Rate[📊 Rate<br/>max_rpm]
        Retry[🔁 Retries<br/>max_retry_limit]
    end
    
    Iter --> Agent[🤖 Agent]
    Time --> Agent
    Rate --> Agent
    Retry --> Agent
    
    classDef limit fill:#F59E0B,stroke:#7C90A0,color:#fff
    classDef agent fill:#10B981,stroke:#7C90A0,color:#fff
    
    class Iter,Time,Rate,Retry limit
    class Agent agent
```

## Quick Start

<Steps>
  <Step title="Preset Mode">
    ```python theme={"theme":{"light":"vitesse-light","dark":"vitesse-dark"}}
    from praisonaiagents import Agent

    # Use a preset
    agent = Agent(
        name="Fast Agent",
        instructions="You answer quickly",
        execution="fast"  # Preset: limited iterations
    )
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Custom Configuration">
    ```python theme={"theme":{"light":"vitesse-light","dark":"vitesse-dark"}}
    from praisonaiagents import Agent, ExecutionConfig

    agent = Agent(
        name="Thorough Agent",
        instructions="You do comprehensive analysis",
        execution=ExecutionConfig(
            max_iter=50,              # Max iterations
            max_rpm=100,              # Requests per minute
            max_execution_time=300,   # 5 minute timeout
            max_retry_limit=5,        # Retries on failure
        )
    )
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Execution Presets

```mermaid theme={"theme":{"light":"vitesse-light","dark":"vitesse-dark"}}
graph TB
    subgraph "Presets"
        Fast[⚡ fast<br/>max_iter=10]
        Balanced[⚖️ balanced<br/>max_iter=20]
        Thorough[🔍 thorough<br/>max_iter=50]
        Unlimited[♾️ unlimited<br/>No limits]
    end
    
    Fast -->|"Quick tasks"| Use[Use Case]
    Balanced -->|"Most tasks"| Use
    Thorough -->|"Complex tasks"| Use
    Unlimited -->|"Long-running"| Use
    
    classDef fast fill:#10B981,stroke:#7C90A0,color:#fff
    classDef balanced fill:#189AB4,stroke:#7C90A0,color:#fff
    classDef thorough fill:#F59E0B,stroke:#7C90A0,color:#fff
    classDef unlimited fill:#6366F1,stroke:#7C90A0,color:#fff
    
    class Fast fast
    class Balanced balanced
    class Thorough thorough
    class Unlimited unlimited
```

| Preset      | max\_iter | Use Case          |
| ----------- | --------- | ----------------- |
| `fast`      | 10        | Quick responses   |
| `balanced`  | 20        | Standard tasks    |
| `thorough`  | 50        | Complex analysis  |
| `unlimited` | None      | Long-running jobs |

```python theme={"theme":{"light":"vitesse-light","dark":"vitesse-dark"}}
agent = Agent(instructions="...", execution="fast")
agent = Agent(instructions="...", execution="balanced")
agent = Agent(instructions="...", execution="thorough")
agent = Agent(instructions="...", execution="unlimited")
```

***

## Configuration Options

```python theme={"theme":{"light":"vitesse-light","dark":"vitesse-dark"}}
from praisonaiagents import ExecutionConfig

config = ExecutionConfig(
    max_iter=20,              # Maximum iterations
    max_rpm=None,             # Requests per minute (None = no limit)
    max_execution_time=None,  # Timeout in seconds (None = no limit)
    max_retry_limit=2,        # Retries on failure
)
```

| Option               | Type  | Default | Description                  |
| -------------------- | ----- | ------- | ---------------------------- |
| `max_iter`           | `int` | `20`    | Maximum loop iterations      |
| `max_rpm`            | `int` | `None`  | Rate limit (requests/minute) |
| `max_execution_time` | `int` | `None`  | Timeout in seconds           |
| `max_retry_limit`    | `int` | `2`     | Max retries on failure       |

***

## Iteration Limits

Prevent infinite loops:

```mermaid theme={"theme":{"light":"vitesse-light","dark":"vitesse-dark"}}
sequenceDiagram
    participant Agent
    participant Counter
    
    loop Until done or max_iter
        Agent->>Agent: Execute step
        Agent->>Counter: Increment
        Counter-->>Agent: Count
        
        alt count >= max_iter
            Agent->>Agent: Stop
        end
    end
```

```python theme={"theme":{"light":"vitesse-light","dark":"vitesse-dark"}}
agent = Agent(
    instructions="You solve problems iteratively",
    execution=ExecutionConfig(max_iter=30)
)

# Agent stops after 30 iterations even if not done
```

***

## Time Limits

Prevent runaway execution:

```python theme={"theme":{"light":"vitesse-light","dark":"vitesse-dark"}}
agent = Agent(
    instructions="You analyze data",
    execution=ExecutionConfig(
        max_execution_time=60  # Stop after 60 seconds
    )
)
```

```mermaid theme={"theme":{"light":"vitesse-light","dark":"vitesse-dark"}}
graph LR
    Start[▶ Start] --> Timer[⏱️ Timer]
    Timer --> Execute[Execute]
    Execute -->|"Time < limit"| Continue[Continue]
    Execute -->|"Time >= limit"| Stop[⏹️ Stop]
    Continue --> Execute
    
    classDef timer fill:#F59E0B,stroke:#7C90A0,color:#fff
    classDef action fill:#10B981,stroke:#7C90A0,color:#fff
    
    class Timer timer
    class Start,Execute,Continue,Stop action
```

***

## Rate Limiting

Control API request rate:

```python theme={"theme":{"light":"vitesse-light","dark":"vitesse-dark"}}
agent = Agent(
    instructions="You search the web",
    execution=ExecutionConfig(
        max_rpm=60  # Max 60 requests per minute
    )
)
```

Useful for:

* Respecting API rate limits
* Controlling costs
* Preventing abuse

***

## Retry Behavior

Handle transient failures:

```python theme={"theme":{"light":"vitesse-light","dark":"vitesse-dark"}}
agent = Agent(
    instructions="You call external APIs",
    execution=ExecutionConfig(
        max_retry_limit=3  # Retry up to 3 times
    )
)
```

```mermaid theme={"theme":{"light":"vitesse-light","dark":"vitesse-dark"}}
sequenceDiagram
    participant Agent
    participant API
    
    Agent->>API: Request
    API-->>Agent: Error
    
    Note over Agent: Retry 1
    Agent->>API: Request
    API-->>Agent: Error
    
    Note over Agent: Retry 2
    Agent->>API: Request
    API-->>Agent: Success
```

***

## Multi-Agent Execution

For multi-agent workflows:

```python theme={"theme":{"light":"vitesse-light","dark":"vitesse-dark"}}
from praisonaiagents import AgentTeam, MultiAgentExecutionConfig

team = AgentTeam(
    agents=[agent1, agent2],
    execution=MultiAgentExecutionConfig(
        max_iter=10,      # Per task
        max_retries=5,    # Per task
    )
)
```

***

## Combining Limits

Use multiple limits together:

```python theme={"theme":{"light":"vitesse-light","dark":"vitesse-dark"}}
agent = Agent(
    instructions="You do comprehensive research",
    execution=ExecutionConfig(
        max_iter=100,             # Allow many iterations
        max_execution_time=600,   # But stop after 10 minutes
        max_rpm=30,               # Rate limit API calls
        max_retry_limit=3,        # Retry failures
    )
)
```

***

## Best Practices

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Set appropriate iteration limits">
    Too low = incomplete tasks. Too high = wasted resources. Start with defaults and adjust.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Use time limits for production">
    Always set `max_execution_time` in production to prevent runaway agents.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Rate limit external API calls">
    Use `max_rpm` when agents call external APIs to respect rate limits.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Enable retries for unreliable operations">
    Set `max_retry_limit` for operations that may fail transiently.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Output" icon="display" href="/concepts/output">
    Display configuration
  </Card>

  <Card title="Autonomy" icon="robot" href="/concepts/autonomy">
    Independence control
  </Card>
</CardGroup>