shared-core

name	shared-core
description	Base instructions and guidelines for all agents in the system. This skill provides foundational behaviors and communication protocols that all agents should follow.

Shared Core Skill

"You are an agent utilizing the Shared Core Skill, which provides essential instructions and guidelines for all agents in the system."

IMPORTANT: Use Built-in Tools, Not Shell Commands

Use your CLI's built-in tools:

• Read tool - to read session files, state, messages
• Write tool - to write message files, update state
• Grep tool - to search code
• Bash tool - only for git commands, running tests, builds
• Fetch tool - to make HTTP requests
• MCP Servers - to interact with MCP services like GitKraken, Playwright, Web search, Vision, etc.

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Communication Protocols

There are 2 layers of communication: The Watchdog and Agents Direct Messaging.

FIRST: Read Your Pending Messages

The watchdog delivers messages to you in TWO ways (check in this order):

1. PRIMARY: CLI Message Argument

• Claude CLI: Check $arguments.message - contains JSON array of messages
• OpenCode CLI: Check the initial --prompt content - contains JSON array of messages
• If present and non-empty, parse as JSON array and process all messages

2. FALLBACK: Pending Messages File

• Read: ./.claude/session/pending-messages-{your-agent-name}.json
• This file contains the batch of messages the watchdog delivered to you
• Parse the messages array from this JSON file

3. DIAGNOSTICS ONLY: Inbox Folder

• Path: ./.claude/session/messages/{your-agent-name}/*.json
• DO NOT read this for your pending work - the watchdog manages this
• Only check here for debugging if both primary and fallback are empty

Message Reading Protocol:

Step 1: Check CLI message argument ($arguments.message or initial prompt)
Step 2: If empty, read ./claude/session/pending-messages-{your-agent-name}.json
Step 3: Parse messages array and process ALL messages in the batch
Step 4: NEVER delete inbox or pending files - Watchdog owns lifecycle

Determining Your Agent Name:

• Check $arguments.agent (for worker commands)
• Or identify from the workflow skill you loaded (pm-workflow → "pm", developer-workflow → "developer", etc.)

SECOND: NEVER FORGET TO UPDATE A TASK STATUS AND WAKE UP THE NEEDED AGENTS

You are the glue that keeps the development cycle running. You must update a task status to the next agent and send a message to watchdog to wake them up.

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How Message Delivery Works

1. Receive Context:

   • Primary: Check CLI message argument ($arguments.message or initial prompt)
   • Fallback: Check pending-messages-{agent}.json file

2. Process Messages:

   • Iterate through the messages in the array.
   • Execute the requested task (implementation, testing, analysis).
   • Do not check message-state.json. The Watchdog guarantees unique delivery.

3. Complete Transaction:

   • When batch work is done, send a status_update message with explicit processed IDs.
   • Include processedMessageIds (all processed message IDs) and processedMessageCount.
   • Use ready, waiting, or idle only when you are available for next delivery.
   • Watchdog clears pending lock only after batch acknowledgement is validated.

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Sending Messages

To send a message, you must use an Pattern to prevent partial reads by the watchdog.

Protocol:

1. Generate ID: msg-{yyyyMMdd-HHmmss}-{random8chars}
2. Write content to: ./.claude/session/messages/{recipient}/{id}.json

Message Structure

{
  "id": "msg-20260208-140000-a1b2c3d4",
  "from": "{your-agent-name}",
  "to": "{recipient}",
  "type": "{message_type}",
  "priority": "normal",
  "payload": { ... },
  "timestamp": "2026-02-08T14:00:00Z",
  "status": "pending"
}

Your Agent Name: Determine your agent name from:

• $arguments.agent (Claude CLI with slash command)
• The workflow skill you loaded (developer-workflow → "developer", qa-workflow → "qa", etc.)
• Or check which pending-messages file exists for you

Example: Sending a Status Update

1. Create the content (using Write tool): File: ./.claude/session/messages/watchdog/msg-status-123.json

   {
     "id": "msg-status-20260208-120000-x9y8z7",
     "from": "developer",
     "to": "watchdog",
     "type": "status_update",
     "priority": "low",
     "payload": {
       "status": "working",
       "currentTask": "feat-001",
       "details": "Implementing feature"
     },
     "timestamp": "2026-02-08T12:00:00Z",
     "status": "pending"
   }
   

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Task Status Updates

IMPORTANT: Always send status updates when starting and finishing work. This ensures the dashboard shows accurate agent status.

Canonical Status Values

• starting - Agent spawned and initializing
• working - Active execution
• awaiting_pm - Blocked waiting PM input
• awaiting_gd - Blocked waiting Game Designer input
• waiting - Waiting for dependency/event but safe for watchdog queue control
• ready - Finished current batch and available for new work
• idle - No active task
• error - Error state reported to watchdog

When You START Working on a Task

Send status: "working" immediately when you begin processing:

Payload:

{
  "status": "working",
  "currentTask": "{taskId}",
  "details": "{brief description}"
}

When You FINISH a Task

Send status: "ready" when complete and ready for next assignment:

Payload:

{
  "status": "ready",
  "processedMessageIds": ["msg-20260208-120000-x9y8z7"],
  "processedMessageCount": 1,
  "currentTask": null,
  "details": "Task complete, ready for next assignment"
}

Standard Message Types

1. Validation Request (Dev -> QA)

Type: validation_request Payload:

{
  "taskId": "{taskId}",
  "description": "Implementation complete",
  "branch": "main"
}

2. Task Complete (QA -> PM)

Type: task_complete Payload:

{
  "taskId": "{taskId}",
  "summary": "All tests pass",
  "validationPassed": true
}

3. Bug Report (QA -> PM)

Type: bug_report Priority: high Payload:

{
  "taskId": "{taskId}",
  "bugs": ["List of bugs found"],
  "severity": "high"
}

4. Research Request (Any -> PM)

Type: research_request Payload:

{
  "topic": "Topic to research",
  "context": "Why I need this",
  "needCodeExamples": true
}

5. General Request (Any -> Any)

Type: task_request Payload:

{
  "topic": "Topic to research",
  "context": "Why I need this",
  "needCodeExamples": true
}

---

Asking Questions

Type: question Payload:

{
  "question": "What is the requirement for X?",
  "context": "Implementing feat-Y",
  "taskId": "{taskId}"
}

Signaling Work Complete

IMPORTANT: When you finish processing a message and are ready for more work, signal the watchdog:

File: ./.claude/session/messages/watchdog/msg-status-{timestamp}.json
Content:
{
  "id": "msg-status-{timestamp}",
  "from": "{your-agent-name}",
  "to": "watchdog",
  "type": "status_update",
  "priority": "low",
  "payload": {
    "status": "ready",
    "processedMessageIds": ["msg-{processed-id-1}", "msg-{processed-id-2}"],
    "processedMessageCount": 2,
    "lastTask": "{taskId}"
  },
  "timestamp": "{UTC-timestamp}",
  "status": "pending"
}

Valid message types for the watchdog message system

You MUST use the message system to communicate with the watchdog and other agents. Valid message types include:

  {
    "messageTypes": ["task_assign", "validation_request", "bug_report", "task_complete",
            "question", "answer", "research_update", "regression_request",
            "prd_update", "status_update", "priority_review", "agent_ready",
            "work_complete", "error", "shutdown",
            "implementation_complete", "work_blocked", "task_abandoned", "quality_concern",
            "retrospective_initiate", "retrospective_contribution", "research_request", "research_response",
            "prd_reorganized", "skill_improvements",  
               
               
              
                
  

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Universal Commit Rule

CRITICAL: Every agent MUST commit their file changes.

Any time an agent makes file changes, those changes MUST be committed with the Ralph format.

When to Commit:

• After any file modifications (source files, configs, PRD, docs, session files)
• Before sending completion messages
• After any skill file updates
• After any documentation changes

Commit Format

[ralph] [{{AGENT}}] {{PRD_ID}}: {{Brief description}}

- Change 1
- Change 2

PRD: {{PRD_ID}} | Agent: {{AGENT}} | Iteration: {{N}}

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