subagent-offloading

name	subagent-offloading
description	Use when a coding agent needs to offload a subtask through Busytok, select from its live model catalog, bind a logical subagent, or retrieve a delegated task result.

Busytok: Subagent Offloading

Overview

Busytok is the task-routing/lifecycle boundary: choose a model, provide complete context, and judge the task result—not process exit code alone.

Explicit invocation contract

If the user explicitly invokes this skill, perform one real busytok delegate for the requested subtask and report its outcome. Reading or discussing delegation does not count. If blocked, report the command, relevant stdout/stderr, and next action; do not silently work locally.

Close the lifecycle: wait or poll task_id to a deadline; if abandoned, cancel and report the cancellation result.

Protocol

1. Verify service readiness and read the enabled catalog. Require ready: true and a matching enabled provider/model. Otherwise report a configuration/routing blocker—never blindly use .[0].

   busytok status
   busytok models --tag <TAG> --reasoning --sort context_window_desc --json
   

   status uses JSON stdout without a flag. models accepts repeatable, case-sensitive --tag, --reasoning, the documented sort keys, and excludes disabled entries unless --all is passed.

2. Prepare a complete prompt with task, scope, acceptance criteria, files/SHAs, read/write permission, tests, and result format. Use exactly one of positional prompt, --prompt-file, --stdin, or --artifact-ref; prefer a file or artifact for large/untrusted input.

3. Delegate with an absolute --cwd, explicit provider/model binding, a role-oriented unique name, and an explicit reuse policy.

   busytok delegate --cwd "$REPO_ROOT" \
     --subagent "reviewer-<MODEL_ID>-<UNIQUE_SUFFIX>" \
     --profile "pi/review-cheap" \
     --bind-provider "<PROVIDER_ID>" --bind-model "<MODEL_ID>" \
     --reuse-policy create --output json --prompt-file "$PROMPT_FILE" \
     --wait --wait-timeout 120 --poll-interval 2
   

   --bind-provider accepts a provider UUID or enabled provider name; use the UUID in automation. --timeout is the task runtime limit; --wait-timeout is only the caller's polling deadline. --intent is an optional durable long-term goal; keep per-task instructions in the prompt.

4. Interpret the result. Only completed is success. For failed or cancelled, surface error, error_kind, and summary. For queued or running, inspect queue_reason when present, then poll:

   busytok subagent task --task-id "<TASK_ID>" --output json
   busytok subagent cancel --task-id "<TASK_ID>" \
     --reason "caller deadline exceeded" --output json
   

Binding, safety, and output rules

• create: fail if the name exists; otherwise create. fail aliases create. reuse: fail if absent; otherwise reuse without rebinding. Omitted means create-or-reuse, with bound-field mismatch rejected.
• --model is a one-task override, not --bind-model; reusing a name never rebinds it.
• JSON is stdout and diagnostics are stderr; never use 2>&1. Without --wait, delegate returns task_id/summary; with --wait and via subagent task, it returns task-detail id/result_summary.
• Review/search tasks are read-only by default. Mutating tasks require an isolated branch/worktree, no concurrent writes to one worktree, and no direct writes to main; verify tests, diff, and commit identity independently.
• For implementation plans, use separate implementer, spec-reviewer, and quality-reviewer identities; fix findings and re-review at each gate.

Reference

• Integration guide