| name | orchestrate-coding-agents |
| description | Coordinate multiple AI coding agents safely. Use when splitting implementation, review, testing, research, or refactor work across agents; when tasks can run in parallel; or when the user asks to orchestrate, spawn agents, delegate, parallelize, or manage tiered work. Produces scoped contracts, isolated work, and merged findings. |
Orchestrate Coding Agents
Orchestration is coordination, not implementation. Define contracts, isolate work, verify outputs, then merge deliberately.
1. Decide whether to split
Parallelize only when work can be separated by file, concern, or artifact.
Good splits:
- Security review and performance review
- Independent modules
- Research versus implementation
- Test writing versus docs
Bad splits:
- Multiple agents editing the same files
- Vague "improve everything"
- Tasks with hidden shared state
2. Write contracts
Each agent gets:
- Goal
- Allowed files or artifacts
- Allowed tools
- Forbidden actions
- Expected output path
- Verification command or review criteria
- Return format
The contract must be rejectable. If the goal or scope cannot be checked, it is not ready to delegate.
3. Isolate work
Use separate worktrees, branches, folders, or output files when possible. No two concurrent agents should edit the same file unless the merge protocol is explicit.
If isolation is unavailable, serialize edits and parallelize only read-only review.
4. Require durable output
Agents should write findings or artifacts to files, not only chat summaries. A summary is intent; the file/diff is evidence.
Before accepting work:
- Open the changed files or report.
- Check scope boundaries.
