| name | worker-prompt-craft |
| description | Use when assigning work to a worker or subagent that cannot see the main conversation, especially when the prompt must be self-contained, precise, and resistant to ambiguity or lazy follow-up delegation |
Worker Prompt Craft
Overview
Workers do not share your conversational context. A good worker prompt must stand on its own.
This skill follows the explicit prompt rules in src/coordinator/coordinatorMode.ts.
Non-Negotiable Rule
Never assume the worker knows what you know from the user conversation.
Forbidden prompt shapes:
- "Fix the bug we discussed"
- "Based on your findings, implement the fix"
- "Make the changes from earlier"
Those prompts outsource context reconstruction to the worker and usually produce drift.
Required Prompt Fields
Every worker prompt should include:
- the purpose of the task
- whether the task is read-only or may modify files
- exact paths, modules, or search scope
- line numbers, symbols, or error messages when known
- completion criteria
- required verification before reporting done
- exact artifact to return
Purpose Statement
Open with why this task exists:
- "This research is for implementation planning."
- "This is independent verification before merge."
- "This is a narrow fix to the auth null check."
The purpose helps the worker choose the right depth.
Research Prompts
Ask for:
- files
- lines
- symbols
- type signatures
- coverage gaps
Do not ask for edits in the same prompt unless that is truly the task.
Implementation Prompts
Ask for:
- exact files to change
- exact behavior to preserve or introduce
- root cause, not just symptom
- tests or checks to run
- commit hash or diff summary if desired
Verification Prompts
Ask for:
- independent execution
- adversarial probes
- command evidence
- PASS, FAIL, or equivalent verdict
Use a fresh verifier when independence matters.
Continue Or Refresh
Continue the same worker when its existing context is an asset.
Spawn a fresh worker when:
- the old context is noisy
- the task changed shape
- you want a clean verifier
- the first attempt anchored on the wrong idea
Minimal Good Example
Fix the null check in src/auth/validate.ts:42. Session.user can be undefined when the session is expired but the token is still cached. Return 401 with "Session expired" instead of dereferencing user.id. Update the relevant tests in src/auth/validate.test.ts. Run the targeted tests and report the commit hash.
Anti-Patterns
- referring to "the bug" without naming it
- referring to "your findings" instead of synthesizing them
- mixing broad exploration and narrow implementation in one muddy prompt
- omitting what done looks like
Done Condition
You have applied this skill correctly when a fresh worker could complete the task from your prompt alone without seeing any of the surrounding conversation.
