task-coordination

name	task-coordination
description	Coordinate access to shared task directories using .processing marker files. Use before accessing a Worker's workspace to prevent conflicts when both Manager and Worker might modify files simultaneously.

Task Coordination

This skill provides a general coordination mechanism for shared task directories. It prevents conflicts when both Manager and Workers need to access/modify the same task workspace.

Problem

When a Worker delegates work to Manager (e.g., git operations), the Manager modifies the Worker's workspace. During this time, the Worker might also be modifying files, causing potential conflicts.

Solution

Use .processing marker files to signal "work in progress". Any party (Worker or Manager) must check for this marker before modifying a task directory.

---

Task Directory Structure

tasks/{task-id}/
├── workspace/          # Code workspace (shared between Worker and Manager)
├── notes/              # Worker's notes, plan.md, memory (not synced by Manager)
├── meta.json           # Task metadata
└── .processing         # Processing marker file (created when work in progress)

---

The .processing Marker

Format

Location: tasks/{task-id}/.processing

{
  "processor": "manager",
  "started_at": "2026-02-25T10:30:00Z",
  "expires_at": "2026-02-25T10:45:00Z",
  "operation": "git-delegation"
}

Fields

Field	Description
processor	Who is processing: manager or worker name
started_at	ISO 8601 timestamp when processing started
expires_at	ISO 8601 timestamp when marker expires (15 min default)
operation	What operation is in progress (optional)

Expiration

The marker auto-expires after 15 minutes (configurable). This prevents deadlocks if a process crashes without removing the marker.

---

Coordination Protocol

Before Modifying Task Directory

Always follow this sequence:

1. Sync from MinIO first:

   mc mirror "${HICLAW_STORAGE_PREFIX}/shared/tasks/${task_id}/" "/root/hiclaw-fs/shared/tasks/${task_id}/"
   

2. Check for .processing:

   bash /opt/hiclaw/agent/skills/task-coordination/scripts/check-processing-marker.sh "$task_id"
   

   • Exit code 0: Safe to proceed (no marker or expired)
   • Exit code 1: Processing in progress, do NOT modify

3. If safe, create marker:

   bash /opt/hiclaw/agent/skills/task-coordination/scripts/create-processing-marker.sh "$task_id" "manager"
   

4. Perform modifications

5. Remove marker:

   bash /opt/hiclaw/agent/skills/task-coordination/scripts/remove-processing-marker.sh "$task_id"
   

6. Sync to MinIO:

   mc mirror "/root/hiclaw-fs/shared/tasks/${task_id}/" "${HICLAW_STORAGE_PREFIX}/shared/tasks/${task_id}/" --overwrite
   

---

Scripts

check-processing-marker.sh

Check if a task directory is being processed.

bash /opt/hiclaw/agent/skills/task-coordination/scripts/check-processing-marker.sh <task-id>

Exit codes:

• 0: No marker or marker expired (safe to proceed)
• 1: Valid marker exists (do not modify)

create-processing-marker.sh

Create a processing marker for a task.

bash /opt/hiclaw/agent/skills/task-coordination/scripts/create-processing-marker.sh <task-id> <processor-name> [timeout-mins]

Parameters:

• task-id: Task identifier (e.g., task-20260225-103000)
• processor-name: Who is processing (manager or worker name)
• timeout-mins: (Optional) Expiration timeout in minutes (default: 15)

remove-processing-marker.sh

Remove the processing marker after work is done.

bash /opt/hiclaw/agent/skills/task-coordination/scripts/remove-processing-marker.sh <task-id>

---

Integration Points

This coordination mechanism is used by:

1. git-delegation-management: Manager creates marker before git ops, removes after
2. git-delegation (Worker skill): Worker checks marker before modifying workspace

---

Best Practices

1. Always sync first: Never assume local state is current
2. Check before create: Don't blindly create markers; check first
3. Remove promptly: Remove marker as soon as work completes
4. Handle crashes: The expiration mechanism handles unexpected failures
5. Respect the marker: Never modify a task directory with an active marker