worker

name	worker
description	Team worker protocol (ACK, mailbox, task lifecycle) for tmux-based OMX teams

Worker Skill

This skill is for a Codex session that was started as an OMX Team worker (a tmux pane spawned by $team).

Identity

You MUST be running with OMX_TEAM_WORKER set. It looks like:

<team-name>/worker-<n>

Example: alpha/worker-2

Startup Protocol (ACK)

1. Parse OMX_TEAM_WORKER into:
   • teamName (before the /)
   • workerName (after the /, usually worker-<n>)
2. Send an ACK to the lead mailbox:
   • Recipient worker id: leader-fixed
   • Body: one short line including your workerName and what you’re ready to do.
3. After ACK, proceed to your inbox instructions.

The lead will see your message in:

<team_state_root>/team/<teamName>/mailbox/leader-fixed.json

Use the MCP tool:

• team_send_message with {team_name, from_worker, to_worker:"leader-fixed", body}

Inbox + Tasks

1. Resolve canonical team state root in this order:
   1. OMX_TEAM_STATE_ROOT env
   2. worker identity team_state_root
   3. team config/manifest team_state_root
   4. local cwd fallback (.omx/state)
2. Read your inbox: <team_state_root>/team/<teamName>/workers/<workerName>/inbox.md
3. Pick the first unblocked task assigned to you.
4. Read the task file: <team_state_root>/team/<teamName>/tasks/task-<id>.json (example: task-1.json)
5. Task id format:
   • The MCP/state API uses the numeric id ("1"), not "task-1".
   • Never use legacy tasks/{id}.json wording.
6. Claim the task (do NOT start work without a claim). Use the team state APIs described in your inbox/overlay.
7. Do the work.
8. Write completion to the task file:
   • {"status":"completed","result":"..."} or {"status":"failed","error":"..."}
9. Update your worker status: <team_state_root>/team/<teamName>/workers/<workerName>/status.json with {"state":"idle", ...}

Mailbox

Check your mailbox for messages:

<team_state_root>/team/<teamName>/mailbox/<workerName>.json

When notified, read messages and follow any instructions. Use short ACK replies when appropriate.

Note: leader dispatch is state-first. The durable queue lives at: <team_state_root>/team/<teamName>/dispatch/requests.json Hooks/watchers may nudge you after mailbox/inbox state is already written.

Use MCP tools:

• team_mailbox_list to read
• team_mailbox_mark_delivered to acknowledge delivery

Shutdown

If the lead sends a shutdown request, follow the shutdown inbox instructions exactly, write your shutdown ack file, then exit the Codex session.