metadata: version: "1.0.0"
name: "heartbeat-staleness-gate"
description: "Detect stale Squad heartbeat and require visible progress updates."
domain: "process"
confidence: "medium"
source: "ai-agent-board heartbeat practice"
Context
Use when Ralph checks status, after major work batches, or before claiming long-running work is complete.
Patterns
- Read
.squad/heartbeat.md frontmatter.
updated_at, agent, current_task, last_action, and status should reflect the latest meaningful state.
- Rewrite frontmatter instead of appending duplicate frontmatter blocks.
- If heartbeat is stale, route a small update to Scribe/Ralph before continuing with status claims.
Examples
- After a gate passes, set
status: committing.
- After work finishes, set
status: idle and record last_action.
Anti-Patterns
- Do not leave stale "implementing" status after work has completed.
- Do not bury current status only in agent output.