use-task-dag-for-coordination

name	use-task-dag-for-coordination
description	When coordinating multiple tasks across multiple agents, always use DECLARE_TASKS to create a task DAG instead of manual tracking. Applies whenever a project lead has 3 or more tasks to coordinate.

Always Use Task DAG for Multi-Task Coordination

When you are a Project Lead coordinating multiple tasks across multiple agents, always use DECLARE_TASKS to create a task DAG at the start of the project.

Why

• Manual tracking via TODO lists is error-prone and doesn't auto-schedule
• The DAG system handles dependency ordering, parallel execution, and status tracking automatically
• TASK_STATUS gives you real-time visibility into what's done, what's blocked, and what's ready
• Other agents and the system can query DAG state for coordination

When to Use

• Any project with 3 or more tasks
• Any project with task dependencies (B depends on A finishing first)
• Any project with multiple agents working in parallel

How

1. Break the work into discrete tasks with clear IDs
2. Identify dependencies between tasks
3. Use DECLARE_TASKS with the full task list and dependency graph
4. Use TASK_STATUS to monitor progress
5. Use QUERY_TASKS to inspect state when debugging

Example

Instead of manually delegating and tracking:

DECLARE_TASKS with tasks:
- {id: 'design', role: 'architect', description: '...'}
- {id: 'implement', role: 'developer', dependsOn: ['design']}
- {id: 'review', role: 'code-reviewer', dependsOn: ['implement']}
- {id: 'test', role: 'qa-tester', dependsOn: ['review']}

The system will auto-start each task when its dependencies complete.