// Use when facing 2+ independent tasks that can be worked on without shared state or sequential dependencies
Use before any creative work - creating features, building components, adding functionality, or modifying behavior. Explores user intent, requirements and design before implementation.
Use when working with Docker containers — debugging container failures, writing Dockerfiles, docker-compose for integration tests, image optimization, or deploying containerized applications
Use when you have a written implementation plan to execute in a separate session with review checkpoints
Use when you need parallel, read-only exploration with the agent tool (Scout fan-out)
Use when encountering any bug, test failure, or unexpected behavior, before proposing fixes
Use when implementing any feature or bugfix, before writing implementation code
| name | dispatching-parallel-agents |
| description | Use when facing 2+ independent tasks that can be worked on without shared state or sequential dependencies |
When you have multiple unrelated failures (different test files, different subsystems, different bugs), investigating them sequentially wastes time. Each investigation is independent and can happen in parallel.
Core principle: Dispatch one agent per independent problem domain. Let them work concurrently.
Load this skill when hive_status() shows 2+ runnable independent tasks. If the work is still read-only investigation, refer to the skill at ../parallel-exploration/SKILL.md instead.
Before dispatching, use hive_status() to get the runnable list — tasks whose dependencies are all satisfied.
Only dispatch tasks that are runnable. Never start tasks with unmet dependencies.
Only done satisfies dependencies (not blocked, failed, partial, cancelled).
Ask the operator first:
vscode/askQuestions for the approval prompt: "These tasks are runnable and independent: [list]. Execute in parallel?"vscode/askQuestions is unavailable or a lightweight follow-up is enoughtodo only when the batch needs a live checklist for task ownership, integration, or follow-up.vscode/memory only for durable coordination decisions or blocker history that future turns need.digraph when_to_use {
"Multiple failures?" [shape=diamond];
"Are they independent?" [shape=diamond];
"Single agent investigates all" [shape=box];
"One agent per problem domain" [shape=box];
"Can they work in parallel?" [shape=diamond];
"Sequential agents" [shape=box];
"Parallel dispatch" [shape=box];
"Multiple failures?" -> "Are they independent?" [label="yes"];
"Are they independent?" -> "Single agent investigates all" [label="no - related"];
"Are they independent?" -> "Can they work in parallel?" [label="yes"];
"Can they work in parallel?" -> "Parallel dispatch" [label="yes"];
"Can they work in parallel?" -> "Sequential agents" [label="no - shared state"];
}
Use when:
Don't use when:
Group failures by what's broken:
Each domain is independent - fixing tool approval doesn't affect abort tests.
Each agent gets:
Invoke @forager for runnable task 01 and require `hive_task_update` for progress reporting.
Invoke @forager for runnable task 02 and require `hive_task_update` for progress reporting.
Invoke @forager for runnable task 03 and require `hive_task_update` for progress reporting.
Parallelize by issuing multiple agent-tool invocations in the same response.
Invoke the appropriate agent for failure A.
Invoke the appropriate agent for failure B.
When agents return:
Good agent prompts are:
Fix the 3 failing tests in src/agents/agent-tool-abort.test.ts:
1. "should abort tool with partial output capture" - expects 'interrupted at' in message
2. "should handle mixed completed and aborted tools" - fast tool aborted instead of completed
3. "should properly track pendingToolCount" - expects 3 results but gets 0
These are timing/race condition issues. Your task:
1. Read the test file and understand what each test verifies
2. Identify root cause - timing issues or actual bugs?
3. Fix by:
- Replacing arbitrary timeouts with event-based waiting
- Fixing bugs in abort implementation if found
- Adjusting test expectations if testing changed behavior
Do NOT just increase timeouts - find the real issue.
Return: Summary of what you found and what you fixed.
❌ Too broad: "Fix all the tests" - agent gets lost ✅ Specific: "Fix agent-tool-abort.test.ts" - focused scope
❌ No context: "Fix the race condition" - agent doesn't know where ✅ Context: Paste the error messages and test names
❌ No constraints: Agent might refactor everything ✅ Constraints: "Do NOT change production code" or "Fix tests only"
❌ Vague output: "Fix it" - you don't know what changed ✅ Specific: "Return summary of root cause and changes"
Related failures: Fixing one might fix others - investigate together first Need full context: Understanding requires seeing entire system Exploratory debugging: You don't know what's broken yet Shared state: Agents would interfere (editing same files, using same resources)
Scenario: 6 test failures across 3 files after major refactoring
Failures:
Decision: Independent domains - abort logic separate from batch completion separate from race conditions
Dispatch:
Agent 1 → Fix agent-tool-abort.test.ts
Agent 2 → Fix batch-completion-behavior.test.ts
Agent 3 → Fix tool-approval-race-conditions.test.ts
Results:
Integration: All fixes independent, no conflicts, full suite green
Time saved: 3 problems solved in parallel vs sequentially
After agents return:
From debugging session (2025-10-03):