| name | nudge-sync |
| description | Synchronous immediate signaling channel for inter-agent communication. Implements latest-wins single-file nudge pattern for health checks, stall detection, and urgent pings. |
| type | skill |
| category | state |
| status | stable |
| origin | tibsfox |
| modified | false |
| first_seen | "2026-03-06T00:00:00.000Z" |
| first_path | .claude/skills/nudge-sync/SKILL.md |
| superseded_by | null |
Nudge Sync
Lightweight synchronous signaling for multi-agent orchestration. Each agent has a single nudge file that is overwritten on every new nudge -- latest wins, no accumulation. Agents check their nudge file on every state poll, making this the fastest communication channel in the chipset.
Purpose
Nudge is the low-bandwidth, urgent signal channel in the Gastown chipset -- the SMI (System Management Interrupt) equivalent. It carries health checks from the witness, stall recovery prompts, and urgent coordination signals. Unlike mail (which accumulates), nudge is intentionally ephemeral: only the latest nudge matters.
The witness uses nudge to implement Gastown's Deacon heartbeat pattern. When an agent has hooked work but hasn't reported activity, the witness sends a nudge asking "are you working?" If the agent doesn't respond within the nudge interval, the witness escalates to the mayor via mail.
Filesystem Contract
.chipset/state/nudge/{agent-id}/latest.json
Each agent has a dedicated nudge directory containing exactly one file: latest.json. This file is overwritten on every new nudge. Reading the file always returns the most recent nudge (or null if no nudge has been sent).
Example paths:
.chipset/state/nudge/polecat-alpha/latest.json
.chipset/state/nudge/mayor-a1b2c/latest.json
.chipset/state/nudge/refinery-f5g6h/latest.json
Message Format
{
"from": "witness-d3e4f",
"type": "health_check",
"message": "You have hooked work (gt-abc12). Are you working on it?",
"timestamp": "2026-03-05T10:35:00Z",
"requires_response": true
}
Field Reference
