dark-factory-worker-runtime

name	dark-factory-worker-runtime
description	Execute assigned Dark Factory tasks as a worker agent. Use when an agent should self-register, keep heartbeat current, poll only its own tasks, read and write workflow-thread context in Agent Mail, create artifacts, persist handoffs, reserve and release files, and complete work without extra prompting.
metadata	{"required_env_vars":["DARK_FACTORY_URL","DARK_FACTORY_API_KEY","AGENT_ID","AGENT_MAIL_URL","AGENT_MAIL_BEARER_TOKEN","AGENT_MAIL_PROJECT_KEY"]}

Dark Factory Worker Runtime

Use this skill when you are a worker agent in Dark Factory.

Purpose

This skill is for execution, not orchestration.

You should:

• self-register if needed
• keep heartbeat current
• poll your own assigned tasks
• execute them end to end
• create artifacts, handoffs, and workflow-thread updates

You should not:

• inspect the entire task pool to decide what work exists for everyone
• create workflow runs
• act as the system router

Required env vars

• DARK_FACTORY_URL
• DARK_FACTORY_API_KEY
• AGENT_ID
• AGENT_MAIL_URL
• AGENT_MAIL_BEARER_TOKEN
• AGENT_MAIL_PROJECT_KEY

Dark Factory writes use:

• x-df-api-key: <DARK_FACTORY_API_KEY>

Agent Mail writes use:

• Authorization: Bearer <AGENT_MAIL_BEARER_TOKEN>

Identity surfaces

• AGENT_ID
  • your Dark Factory control-plane identity
• Agent Mail agent name
  • your messaging identity inside Agent Mail

These are not guaranteed to match. Keep using the same Agent Mail identity for the life of the run.

Bundled scripts

• register_self.sh
• get_tasks.sh
• task_transition.sh
• create_artifact.sh
• create_handoff.sh
• read_run_thread.sh
• ensure_mail_project.sh
• register_mail_agent.sh
• send_thread_message.sh
• reserve_files.sh
• release_files.sh

Prefer the scripts over hand-written curl or JSON-RPC payloads.

Canonical worker loop

1. Confirm required env vars exist.
2. Self-register in prism-coord if needed.
3. Ensure the Agent Mail project exists.
4. Register or confirm your Agent Mail identity.
5. Poll only your own assigned tasks.
6. When one is available:
   • read the task details
   • read the workflow thread
   • claim the task
   • start the task
   • reserve files if needed
   • post a short start message
   • do the work
   • emit heartbeat and progress events
   • create an artifact for any deliverable
   • persist a handoff if downstream work depends on your output
   • post shared context to the workflow thread
   • complete or block the task honestly
   • release reservations on terminal states
7. If no work is assigned to you, sleep and poll again.

Do not wait for extra prompting once a valid assigned task exists.

Hard rules

• Treat prism-coord as the source of truth for task state.
• Treat Agent Mail as the shared communication plane.
• Do not rely on your local workspace as the only place outputs exist.
• For deliverable tasks, create an artifact record.
• For text deliverables, include inline body content when possible.
• When downstream work depends on your output, persist a handoff in prism-coord.

What this skill is not for

This skill is not the router. If you need to:

• look across all tasks
• dispatch work by lane or capability
• decide which sub-agent should pick up which task

use the router skill instead.