docs: corrected the graph-agent parallel reducer gotcha
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@@ -1065,6 +1065,48 @@ parallel super-step but no reducer is declared for 'summary'. Add
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node's output.
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```
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The load-time check covers **declared** writes only. The runtime applies the
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same contention rule to every key a branch actually wrote (writes are
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extracted by diffing branch state; see
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[Branch isolation](#branch-isolation)), including keys the load-time
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validator does not model. The most important of these is the implicit
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`output` key:
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### The implicit `output` key (gotcha)
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Every LLM (and agent) node stores its raw completion in the `output` state
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key. That is what `{{output}}` in `state_updates` templates against. In a
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parallel super-step this counts as a write from every LLM/agent branch, so
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a fan-out of **two or more LLM/agent nodes always contends on `output`**,
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even when every declared `state_updates` key is distinct.
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Because the load-time validator only computes declared write sets
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(`state_updates` ∪ `output_schema`), this conflict surfaces at **runtime,
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at the join**, after the branches have already executed:
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```
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Key 'output' was written by 5 parallel branches but has no reducer
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declared. Add a reducer for 'output' to the graph's `reducers:` block, or
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rename one writer.
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```
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The fix is one declaration at the graph root. When (as is typical) each
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branch captures its real result into its own key via `state_updates` and
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nothing reads `output` after the join, `overwrite` is the idiomatic
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choice:
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```yaml
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reducers:
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output: overwrite # implicit LLM completion key; unused after the join
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```
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Merge order is deterministic (branches sorted by
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`(node_id, invocation_index)`), so even `overwrite` reproducibly keeps the
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last-sorted branch's completion across runs.
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Rule of thumb: **any parallel super-step containing 2+ LLM/agent nodes
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needs a reducer for `output`.**
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## Branch isolation
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Each parallel branch runs against an **independent state fork**. Writes
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@@ -1075,8 +1117,11 @@ merges them via the reducer pipeline.
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This means:
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- Branches can freely mutate `output`, internal counters, etc. without
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worrying about siblings
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- Branches can freely mutate state **during** the super-step without
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stepping on siblings — but every key a branch wrote participates in the
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join, including the implicit `output` key every LLM/agent node sets, so
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any key written by 2+ branches needs a declared reducer (see
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[the implicit `output` key](#the-implicit-output-key-gotcha))
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- Race conditions are impossible since there is no shared mutable state during
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the parallel phase
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- Branches cannot communicate with each other mid-super-step. If you
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