sandgardenhq/sgai/subagent-delegation-protocol

Subagent Delegation Protocol

Use this skill when an agent delegates work to one or more Task subagents.

Core Rules

• Delegate with bounded paths and sections instead of pasted large context blobs.
• Do not delegate broad read the repo work unless discovery itself is the task.
• Tell subagents to read packet paths first.
• Tell subagents to return NEEDS_CONTEXT with the exact missing path, evidence item, decision, or question when the packet is insufficient.
• Split broad work before fanout.
• Parallelize only independent work units.
• Reconcile every subagent return envelope before claiming completion.
• Use subagent-return-protocol skill for the return envelope named in the packet.

Task Packet

Every Task prompt must include this packet shape:

TASK_PACKET:
-Task: ...
-Owner agent: ...
-Goal path: GOAL.md
-Ledger path: .sgai/PROJECT_MANAGEMENT.md
-Required context paths:
  -...
-Relevant ledger sections:
  -...
-Expected edit boundaries:
  -...
-Out-of-scope paths:
  -...
-Verification commands:
  -...
-Review expectations:
  -...
-Return envelope: Execution Envelope | Review Envelope

Work Split

Before broad fanout, create this split map:

WORK_SPLIT:
-Work unit: ...
  Owner agent: ...
  Input paths:
    -...
  Edit paths:
    -...
  Output expected: ...
  Dependencies:
    -... or none
  Can run in parallel with:
    -...
  Must serialize because:
    -... or none

Splitting Rules

• Split by independently verifiable deliverable: package, command, route, page, component, template, script, deployment target, artifact, test file, safety concern, review concern, or verification concern.
• Parallelize only when edit paths and runtime resources do not conflict.
• Serialize work that shares files, APIs, generated artifacts, lockfiles, migrations, servers, databases, ports, browser sessions, package installs, deployment targets, or required outputs from sibling tasks.
• Include the concrete dependency reason for every serialized unit.

Reconciliation Rules

• Compare each subagent status, changed paths, read paths, verification evidence, review findings, blockers, concerns, and next owner.
• If any unit returns NEEDS_CONTEXT, provide only the requested missing path, evidence, decision, or answer.
• If any unit returns BLOCKED, record the blocker and route it to the appropriate owner; do not claim completion for that unit.
• If parallel units changed overlapping files or made incompatible assumptions, stop integration and dispatch a focused reconciliation task.
• Proceed to completion or project-critic only after required work units have compatible evidence and no unresolved blockers.