claude-skills/.tasks/task-loop-skill.md

task-loop-skill

Goal

Write a new skill task-loop for interactive Claude Code sessions: the agent in an open session claims tasks from the board and works them one-by-one in that same session — no separate daemon, no spawned claude processes. Empty queue → stop and report (never busy-poll). The skill must coordinate with using-tasks v1.4.0 (session .tasks/.lock, session_break gate, 10-min claim TTL → tasks_heartbeat) and project-discipline (push-gate Rule 4, sensitive artifacts).

Key files

• skills/task-loop/SKILL.md — the deliverable (to be created)
• skills/using-tasks/SKILL.md:120-179 — session-lock guard + session-break + completion gates the loop must honor
• skills/project-discipline/SKILL.md — push Rule 4, sensitive-artifact gates
• skills/delegate-task/SKILL.md — sibling task-system skill (style reference)
• projects-meta tools: tasks_claim_next (returns slug/weight/claim_token/consult_policy), tasks_close, tasks_update, tasks_heartbeat

Decisions log

Reverse-chronological. Append-only.

• 2026-06-11: RED baseline run (2 clean-context subagents, dry-run, no live tools). Finding: ecosystem already produces mostly-correct behavior (no busy-wait on empty, pointed heartbeat, parks blocked tasks, push only on grant). Real gaps the skill must close: (A) claim scope diverged — agent-1 used filter={} cross-federation, agent-2 {project:current}; (B) both missed session-break gate between tasks; (C) both ignored .tasks/.lock; (D) autonomy vs sensitive-gate boundary unclear — agent-1 injected an unasked confirmation stop on a CI task; (E) paused vs blocked — spec said paused, agent-2 chose blocked for an external blocker (more correct).
• 2026-06-11: Design resolutions (recommend-don't-menu, no user objection to proposal):
  • Scope default = current project (filter={project:<current>}); multi-project only via explicit arg / POLLER_PROJECTS.
  • Autonomy gate via consult_policy from claim: auto→full autopilot; human-only/strict-human→do the work but STOP before the irreversible step (commit/close) to consult. weight:needs-human never reaches the loop (server excludes from autonomous claim). Push never automatic (project-discipline Rule 4).
  • Failed task: external/unresolvable blocker → tasks_update status=blocked + blocker note (frees claim, don't leave hanging, don't close, roll back partial work); interrupted/resumable-by-me → status=paused. (Refines acceptance #3 literal "paused".)
  • Empty queue → STOP + report. ScheduleWakeup ONLY on explicit "работай пока не скажу стоп", interval ≥1200s.
  • session-break: after each close, BEFORE next claim, honor using-tasks session_break marker → STOP. Loop delegates this gate, doesn't reimplement.
  • Heartbeat: single task expected >~8 min → tasks_heartbeat(slug, claim_token).

Open questions

• Sensitive-task confirmation driven by consult_policy (the contract) + project-discipline push-gate for the riskiest step — NO blanket overlay. Resolved: compliance test B confirmed the human-only gate stops before close/commit correctly; push stays ask-mode regardless. consult_policy=auto means autopilot through close (push still needs a grant).

Completed steps

• Claimed task (meta status=active, commit 9168a14), synced local
• Read mandatory skills: writing-skills, test-driven-development
• Recon: skills/ layout, heartbeat refs, using-tasks session-lock section, claim/close tool schemas
• RED baseline: 2 subagents, gaps A–E documented above
• GREEN: wrote skills/task-loop/SKILL.md v0.1.0 (desc trimmed of workflow summary per CSO rule)
• GREEN compliance: 2 subagents. B (blocked/consult/break) PERFECT — all gaps A–E fixed (scope=current, human-only→stop-before-close, session_break halts drain, external→blocked not close, empty→stop). A (scope/empty/watch) clean EXCEPT chose CronCreate for long-watch → loophole.
• REFACTOR: long-watch carve-out reworded to mandate ScheduleWakeup (same session) and forbid CronCreate (separate session=daemon) always; core/What-NOT/red-flags aligned. Re-test PASSED — agent picks ScheduleWakeup 1800s, rejects CronCreate with correct reasoning.
• Acceptance 1-6 all met (see commit). TDD cycle RED→GREEN→REFACTOR complete.

Notes

• heartbeat-side-channel skill referenced in acceptance #4 does NOT exist — resolved by documenting tasks_heartbeat usage directly.
• Installed ~/.claude/skills/using-tasks appears older than repo source (no session-lock) — deployment gap, not this task's concern. Write the skill against the repo source (v1.4.0).
• Notify target on close: OpeItcLoc03/workshop.