| name | chat |
| description | Post a message (max 512 chars) with a 'why?' explanation to the team chat log (agents/CHAT.md). Use to communicate between personas, log progress updates, and coordinate handoffs between agents. |
| triggers | ["*chat","*msg","*chat log"] |
Chat Skill
Overview
The chat skill posts structured messages to agents/CHAT.md, the shared team communication log. All personas use this to coordinate work and hand off tasks.
Usage
make chat MSG="<message>" [PERSONA="<Name>"] [CMD="<command>"] [TO="<recipient>"]
Arguments
| Argument | Variable | Default | Description |
|---|
| message | MSG | required | Message content |
| persona | PERSONA | $USER | Who is sending (e.g. Neo, Trin) |
| cmd | CMD | chat | Command prefix (auto-prefixed with *) |
| to | TO | all | Recipient persona name |
Output Format
[DATETIME] [**Persona**]->[**recipient**] *cmd*:
message
Examples
Log a user request
make chat MSG="fix the bug in parser.py" PERSONA="User" CMD="request"
Post a persona response
make chat MSG="Fixed bug in parser.py line 42" PERSONA="Neo" CMD="swe fix" TO="Trin"
Assign work to another persona
make chat MSG="@Trin please verify the fix in parser.py" PERSONA="Neo" CMD="handoff" TO="Trin"
Guidelines & Rules
- Character Limit (HARD): Every chat message must be under 512 characters (using UTF-8 characters).
- Elaborations ("the why?"): All chat entries MUST include a brief explanation detailing why you are taking the action or proposing the handoff.
When to Post
- ENTRY: After reading CHAT.md to acknowledge context.
- WORK: After completing each significant step. Include why the step was necessary.
- HANDOFF: When switching to another persona — assign the next task explicitly with the rationale.
- HELP: When you are not sure what to do next and need help from another agent or human.
- EXIT: Before saving state files.
Reading the Chat Log
Always read agents/CHAT.md (newest messages at the END) before starting work:
Read agents/CHAT.md # last 10-20 messages for context
One-line summary: Posts structured messages to the shared team chat log at agents/CHAT.md (max 512 chars).
TLDR:
Use make chat MSG="..." PERSONA="..." CMD="..." TO="..." to log activity and coordinate handoffs (max 512 chars).
All personas must include a 'why?' explanation. Post on entry, work steps, handoff, and exit.
Newest messages are at the END of agents/CHAT.md — always read the bottom for current context.
