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

Load Worker Skill Path (Claude/Codex)

When a worker inbox tells you to load this skill, resolve the first existing path:

1. ${CODEX_HOME:-~/.codex}/skills/worker/SKILL.md
2. ~/.codex/skills/worker/SKILL.md
3. <leader_cwd>/.codex/skills/worker/SKILL.md
4. <leader_cwd>/skills/worker/SKILL.md (repo fallback)

Startup Protocol (ACK)

1. Parse OMX_TEAM_WORKER into:
   • teamName (before the /)
   • workerName (after the /, usually worker-<n>)
2. Send a startup ACK to the lead mailbox before task work:
   • Recipient worker id: leader-fixed
   • Body: one short deterministic line (recommended: ACK: <workerName> initialized).
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 CLI interop:

• omx team api send-message --input <json> --json with {team_name, from_worker, to_worker:"leader-fixed", body}

Copy/paste template:

omx team api send-message --input "{\"team_name\":\"<teamName>\",\"from_worker\":\"<workerName>\",\"to_worker\":\"leader-fixed\",\"body\":\"ACK: <workerName> initialized\"}" --json

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) using claim-safe lifecycle CLI interop (omx team api claim-task --json).
7. Do the work.
8. Complete/fail the task via lifecycle transition CLI interop (omx team api transition-task-status --json) from in_progress to completed or failed.
   • Do NOT directly write lifecycle fields (status, owner, result, error) in task files.
9. Use omx team api release-task-claim --json only for rollback/requeue to pending (not for completion).
10. 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 CLI interop:

• omx team api mailbox-list --json to read
• omx team api mailbox-mark-delivered --json to acknowledge delivery

Copy/paste templates:

omx team api mailbox-list --input "{\"team_name\":\"<teamName>\",\"worker\":\"<workerName>\"}" --json
omx team api mailbox-mark-delivered --input "{\"team_name\":\"<teamName>\",\"worker\":\"<workerName>\",\"message_id\":\"<MESSAGE_ID>\"}" --json

Dispatch Discipline (state-first)

Worker sessions should treat team state + CLI interop as the source of truth.

• Prefer inbox/mailbox/task state and omx team api ... --json operations.
• Do not rely on ad-hoc tmux keystrokes as a primary delivery channel.
• If a manual trigger arrives (for example tmux send-keys nudge), treat it only as a prompt to re-check state and continue through the normal claim-safe lifecycle.

Team Big Five / ATEM Coordination Gate

Keep independent fan-out lightweight: if your task is isolated with no shared files, dependencies, or handoffs, normal startup ACK, claim-safe lifecycle, status, verification, and completion evidence are sufficient.

When your inbox/task activates the Team Big Five / ATEM-inspired protocol (dependencies, shared files/surfaces/contracts, handoffs, integration, blocked lanes, or changed assumptions), use this concise boundary checklist:

• Shared mental model / single source of truth: treat task JSON, inbox, mailbox, approved handoff, and leader updates as canonical.
• Closed-loop communication / ACK-readback: acknowledge handoffs with what you understood, affected artifact/path, owner, and next action.
• Mutual performance monitoring: check boundary contracts, shared files, and verification evidence before completion.
• Backup/reassignment behavior: if blocked, write blocked status with the smallest needed help/reassignment request and continue any safe unblocked slice.
• Adaptability checkpoint: changed assumptions, dependencies, or verification results require a brief leader-facing update before widening scope.
• Team orientation: optimize for the integrated team result; report integration risks, missing tests, and peer impacts instead of local-only success.

Shutdown

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