| name | claim-issue |
| description | Use when starting, checking, or finishing work on a GitHub issue in any repo where multiple agents may work in parallel — posts a session-info claim comment and manages the in-progress label so other agents skip claimed issues |
| argument-hint | <check|claim|release> <issue-number> [release reason] |
Claim a GitHub Issue
Coordinates parallel agents on one repository. A claim is an issue comment
carrying the agent's session ID, agent kind, host, branch, and worktree, plus
an in-progress label. Other agents check for the claim before starting work.
Script
The bundled script does all the work:
~/.claude/skills/claim-issue/claim-issue.sh check <N>
~/.claude/skills/claim-issue/claim-issue.sh claim <N>
~/.claude/skills/claim-issue/claim-issue.sh release <N> ["reason"]
Project override: if the repository has its own copy (e.g.
scripts/agent-claim-issue.sh in Turin's Tavern), use that instead — the
comment markers are identical, and the repo copy may add project-specific
runtime details and is what the project's other agents (Codex, CI) invoke.
Lifecycle
- Before any work on an issue: run
check <N>. Exit 3 means another
session holds an active claim — stop and report the claim instead of
duplicating work, unless the user says otherwise.
- When starting: run
claim <N> from the branch you will implement on,
so the comment carries the real branch. claim creates the in-progress
label idempotently if the repo lacks it.
- When stopping — always release, whatever the outcome:
- PR merged:
release <N> "merged in PR #<PR>"
- blocked or handed off:
release <N> "<why work stopped>"
- abandoned:
release <N> "abandoned: <reason>"
A claim with no later release is active. Stale claims (host gone, session
dead) may be overridden after reporting them to the user.
Semantics
check reads only the newest claim/release marker comment; a release after
a claim frees the issue.- Claims coordinate; they do not lock. Two simultaneous
claim calls can
race — the comment trail shows both sessions, and the newest comment wins
check. Report a race if you see one.
- Never add or remove the
in-progress label manually; let the script own it.
