Agent Relay

Agent Relay

Use this skill when Codex needs real-time coordination across multiple agents. It gives Codex a repeatable workflow for:

• connecting to an Agent Relay workspace
• spawning relay-aware workers
• sending direct messages, channel updates, and thread replies
• keeping lead and worker state synchronized through ACK, STATUS, BLOCKED, and DONE signals

Relay fills the peer-to-peer gap in Codex sub-agent workflows. Codex can spawn and collect worker results, but Agent Relay gives those workers a shared message bus so they can talk to the lead and to each other.

Auto-setup

On first activation, this skill auto-configures Codex by running scripts/setup.sh. This adds the Agent Relay MCP server to .codex/config.toml, enables hooks, installs hooks.json, and copies the relay-worker.toml agent definition. No manual setup is required after installing the skill.

Startup protocol

Every relay-connected Codex agent must complete these steps IN ORDER before substantive work:

1. Set up a workspace.

   • If RELAY_WORKSPACE_KEY is set in the environment, call set_workspace_key with that key.
   • If only the legacy RELAY_API_KEY alias is set, treat it as the same workspace key.
   • If no key is available, call create_workspace to auto-create one. This returns a workspace key — save it for workers.

2. Register as an agent. Call register_agent with your agent name and type: "agent". Use RELAY_AGENT_NAME from the environment if set, otherwise derive a name from the task context (e.g., lead, auth-worker).

3. Keep workspace credentials out of output. Never print the workspace key or construct an observer URL from it — it is an administrative credential. When the user asks to follow the conversation, run agent-relay observer and print the URL it returns. That mints a scoped, read-only token (ot_live_...) that expires in 24 hours and excludes agent DMs, so the link is safe to share. Narrow it further with --channels, widen it with --include-dms or --expires, and revoke it with agent-relay observer revoke <id>.

4. Check the relay inbox. Call check_inbox to see if there are any pending messages or task assignments.

5. Send an ACK. If you received a task assignment, send ACK: <one-sentence understanding> to your lead via send_dm. If the assignment is unclear, send BLOCKED: <question> instead of guessing.

6. When the task is complete, send DONE: <summary with evidence> before stopping.

If workspace creation or registration fails, retry once, then report the failure to the user — do not proceed without a relay connection.

Critical rule

Do not assume the current MCP session already has an active Agent Relay workspace. Always call set_workspace_key or create_workspace before registering.

Working rules

• Include as: "<agent-name>" on relay calls that support explicit attribution.
• Keep the relay identity stable for the whole task. Do not switch names mid-task.
• Check the inbox again after meaningful milestones, before long-running work, and before stopping.
• Prefer direct messages for lead/worker coordination. Use channels only when multiple agents need the same update.
• Keep status messages short, factual, and scoped to the assigned work.
• Do not spawn additional relay workers unless the lead explicitly asks for more delegation.
• If the lead updates the task, follow the newest explicit instruction.

Message templates

• ACK: I understand the assignment and I am starting work on <scope>.
• STATUS: Finished <milestone>; next I am doing <next-step>.
• BLOCKED: I cannot continue because <blocker>.
• DONE: Completed <scope>. Evidence: <files changed, commands run, tests, or decisions>.

Worker patterns

There are two current ways to involve more agents. Use the right one for the job.

Registered workspace identities

Use register_agent for an agent process that is already running and only needs a Relay identity. Registration does not start a new model runtime.

Lead steps:

1. Ensure workspace exists (set_workspace_key or create_workspace).
2. Register the lead (register_agent).
3. Give the other running process the workspace key and tell it to call register_agent with a stable name.
4. Send the assignment via send_dm(to: "worker-name", text: "...").
5. Poll lead inbox for ACK (check_inbox).

Worker steps:

1. Call set_workspace_key with the shared key.
2. Register with register_agent.
3. Check inbox (check_inbox).
4. Send ACK to lead via send_dm.
5. Perform the assigned scope.
6. Send DONE to lead via send_dm.

Relay-spawned workers

Use add_agent when the lead should ask Relay to start a provider-backed worker. The current tool requires name, cli, and task; optional fields include channel, persona, and model.

Lead steps:

1. Ensure workspace exists and lead is registered.
2. Spawn the worker with add_agent(name: "worker-name", cli: "codex", task: "...").
3. Include https://agentrelay.com/skill, the lead name, exact scope, and completion criteria in the task prompt.
4. Poll lead inbox for ACK (check_inbox).
5. Release the worker with remove_agent after the work is accepted.

Worker steps:

1. Follow the using-agent-relay role from https://agentrelay.com/skill.
2. Check inbox, send ACK, do the assigned work, and send DONE.

Codex sub-agents

If your Codex surface has a sub-agent spawn capability, use the bundled relay-worker agent definition for code-heavy work that needs a separate Codex runtime with file access and tools. Include the workspace key, relay name, lead name, exact scope, and completion criteria in the sub-agent prompt. If that spawn capability is not available, use add_agent instead.

Worker ACK fallback

If a worker does not ACK within 30 seconds:

1. Check whether the worker appears in list_agents.
2. If this is a running process, have it call register_agent.
3. If this should be a spawned worker, call add_agent with name, cli, and task.
4. Send (or re-send) the assignment via send_dm.
5. Poll the lead inbox again for ACK.
6. If still no ACK after a second attempt, report the exact failed step to the user.

Handoff template

Worker: api-worker
Type: relay-spawned worker (use add_agent with name, cli, and task)
Lead: lead
Scope: check the Agent Relay inbox and confirm connectivity
Protocol:
  1. Check inbox
  2. DM lead with ACK
  3. Perform scope
  4. DM lead with DONE

For code-heavy tasks, change the type line to:

Type: Codex sub-agent (use relay-worker if your Codex surface provides sub-agent spawning)