---
title: Serial Composition
slug: serial-composition
url: https://templeton.host/lexicon/serial-composition/
type: defined-term
inDefinedTermSet: https://templeton.host/lexicon
author: Andrew Templeton
---

# Serial Composition

## Definition

A pipeline topology where each node feeds the next. The output of stage i is the input of stage i+1. End-to-end yield is the product of per-node accept rates. The math is brutally multiplicative: ten stages at 80% per-gate ships 11% of jobs.

## Why this term exists

Every AI POC that fails to ship fails here. The demo clears one gate. Production demands ten in series. The compounded yield collapse is invisible until you write the math down.

## See also

- [DAG Topology widget](https://templeton.host/widgets/dag-topology)
- [Yield Collapse widget](https://templeton.host/widgets/yield-collapse)
- [Parallel Composition](https://templeton.host/lexicon/parallel-composition)
- [Verifier-Producer](https://templeton.host/lexicon/verifier-producer)

Canonical URL: https://templeton.host/lexicon/serial-composition/