multica-runtimes-and-repos

name	multica-runtimes-and-repos
description	Use when inspecting or debugging Multica runtimes, daemon task claiming, agent not running, workdir/session reuse, or repository checkout. Covers runtime online/offline state, daemon heartbeat/claim chain, task-scoped repo checkout, project repo context, local_directory caveats, and safe diagnostic commands.
user-invocable	false
allowed-tools	Bash(multica *)

Multica Runtimes and Repos

Quick start

For "agent did not run" or "repo checkout failed", read the chain before changing anything:

multica agent get <agent-id> --output json
multica runtime list --output json
multica repo checkout <repo-url>

Runtime and repo commands affect active agent execution. Do not restart daemons, update runtimes, or check out arbitrary repos just to test.

Core model

A runtime is the execution target behind an agent. A daemon owns local runtime processes and claims queued tasks from the server.

The chain is:

1. user action creates or updates an agent_task_queue row;
2. the task points at an agent and runtime;
3. server wakes the runtime over daemon websocket when possible;
4. daemon polls/claims the task;
5. server returns task context, repos, project resources, prior session/workdir hints, and task token;
6. daemon prepares a workdir and launches the provider CLI;
7. multica repo checkout talks to the local daemon, not directly to GitHub.

CLI

multica runtime list --output json
multica runtime usage <runtime-id> --output json
multica runtime activity <runtime-id> --output json
multica runtime update <runtime-id> --target-version <version> --output json
multica runtime delete <runtime-id>
multica repo checkout <url>
multica repo checkout <url> --ref <branch-or-sha>

runtime update and runtime delete are writes. Starting a runtime update is limited to its owner or a workspace owner/admin; the original initiator may keep polling that specific in-flight request if their admin role changes. runtime delete removes a runtime registration; if active agents are still bound, it refuses unless the user explicitly passes --cascade, which archives those agents and cancels their queued/running tasks before deleting the runtime. repo checkout creates a dedicated branch in the task working directory. Most runtimes use a linked worktree; Linux Codex uses task-local Git metadata so its workspace-write sandbox can stage and commit without making the shared .repos cache writable.

repo checkout requires MULTICA_DAEMON_PORT; it is intended to run inside a daemon task. If absent, you are not in the normal agent checkout path. When a project github_repo resource has resource_ref.ref, repo checkout <url> uses that ref by default for the current task; an explicit repo checkout <url> --ref <branch-or-sha> overrides it.

Debugging an agent that did not run

Check in this order:

1. Was a task supposed to be created? Inspect issue/comment/autopilot context.
2. Is the assignee an agent or squad? A squad routes to its leader.
3. Is the agent archived or bound to a runtime the actor cannot use?
4. Is the runtime online? multica runtime list --output json.
5. Did the daemon heartbeat recently? Runtime last_seen_at is the visible clue.
6. Did the task get claimed or is it stuck pending/running/waiting for local directory?
7. If repo checkout failed, classify it after checking whether repo context was present in the task/project context.

Repos

The runtime brief lists repos available to this task. Treat that list as the authority for agent checkout unless the user explicitly asks to bind a new project resource.

Workspace repos and project resources are not the same thing:

• workspace repo metadata can appear in workspace context;
• github_repo project resources are durable project context and can affect future tasks; optional resource_ref.ref pins the default checkout ref for tasks in that project;
• local_directory resources point at a path owned by a daemon and carry local-machine assumptions.

Do not add a project resource just because repo checkout failed. First determine whether the user asked for durable project context or just a task checkout.

More source-backed details: references/runtimes-and-repos-source-map.md.