# Jat Start > Begin working on a JAT task. Registers agent identity, selects a task, searches memory, detects conflicts, declares files, emits IDE signals, and starts work. Use this at the beginning of every JAT session. Use when this capability is needed. - Skill: `tomevault-io/jat-start` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/jat-start` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/jat-start/raw - Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS) - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: AI & ML - Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/jat-start --- # /skill:jat-start - Begin Working **One agent = one session = one task.** Each session handles exactly one task from start to completion. ## Usage ``` /skill:jat-start # Show available tasks /skill:jat-start task-id # Start specific task /skill:jat-start AgentName # Resume as AgentName /skill:jat-start AgentName task-id # Resume as AgentName on task ``` Add `quick` to skip conflict checks. ## What This Does 1. **Establish identity** - Register or resume agent in Agent Registry 2. **Select task** - From parameter or show recommendations 3. **Search memory** - Surface context from past sessions 4. **Review prior tasks** - Check for duplicates and related work 5. **Start work** - Declare files, update task status 6. **Emit signals** - IDE tracks state through jat-signal ## Step-by-Step Instructions **IMPORTANT: Minimize round-trips by issuing independent tool calls in parallel.** Startup uses 3 parallel rounds. Each round issues all calls simultaneously, then processes results before the next round. ``` ROUND 1 (parallel) → ROUND 2 (parallel) → ROUND 3 (parallel) → Banner Identity Starting signal Task update Task details Memory search Working signal Git status Prior task search Integration sync ``` ### ROUND 1: Gather Context (all parallel) **Issue ALL of these tool calls in a single message:** **1A: Identity** — Check for IDE pre-registration + get session ID: ```bash TMUX_SESSION=$(tmux display-message -p '#S' 2>/dev/null); PRE_REG_FILE=".claude/sessions/.tmux-agent-${TMUX_SESSION}"; test -f "$PRE_REG_FILE" && cat "$PRE_REG_FILE" || echo "NO_PRE_REG" ``` ```bash get-current-session-id ``` **1B: Task details** (if task-id provided): ```bash jt show "$TASK_ID" --json ``` If no task-id, show `jt ready` and stop here. **1C: Git status:** ```bash git branch --show-current && git diff-index --quiet HEAD -- && echo "clean" || echo "dirty" ``` **Manual Registration** (only if `NO_PRE_REG`): ```bash am-register --name "$AGENT_NAME" --program pi --model "$MODEL_ID" tmux rename-session "jat-${AGENT_NAME}" 2>/dev/null mkdir -p .claude/sessions echo "$AGENT_NAME" > ".claude/sessions/agent-${SESSION_ID}.txt" ``` ### ROUND 2: Signal + Context Search (all parallel) **Issue ALL of these tool calls in a single message:** **2A: Starting signal:** ```bash jat-signal starting '{ "agentName": "NAME", "sessionId": "ID", "taskId": "TASK_ID", "taskTitle": "TITLE", "project": "PROJECT", "model": "MODEL_ID", "tools": ["bash","read","write","edit"], "gitBranch": "BRANCH", "gitStatus": "clean", "uncommittedFiles": [] }' ``` **2B: Memory search:** ```bash jat-memory search "key terms from task title" --limit 5 2>/dev/null || echo "NO_MEMORY_INDEX" ``` **2C: Prior task search:** ```bash DATE_7=$(date -d '7 days ago' +%Y-%m-%d 2>/dev/null || date -v-7d +%Y-%m-%d); jt search "$SEARCH_TERM" --updated-after "$DATE_7" --limit 20 --json ``` Look for duplicates, related work, and in-progress tasks in similar areas. ### ROUND 3: Start Work (all parallel) **Issue ALL of these tool calls in a single message:** **3A: Update task status:** ```bash jt update "$TASK_ID" --status in_progress --assignee "$AGENT_NAME" --files "relevant/files/**" ``` **3B: Working signal** (incorporate memory results into approach): ```bash jat-signal working '{ "taskId": "TASK_ID", "taskTitle": "TASK_TITLE", "approach": "Brief description of implementation plan", "expectedFiles": ["src/**/*.ts"], "baselineCommit": "COMMIT_HASH" }' ``` > **Note:** Integration status sync (`in_progress`) fires automatically from `jt update --status in_progress` — no agent action needed. ### Output Banner ``` ╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ STARTING WORK: {TASK_ID} ║ ╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ Agent: {AGENT_NAME} Task: {TASK_TITLE} Priority: P{X} Approach: {YOUR_APPROACH_DESCRIPTION} ``` ## Credentials & Authentication **CRITICAL: Never hardcode or invent passwords. Never reset user passwords for testing.** When you need credentials (API keys, database URLs, service role keys, login credentials), use `jat-secret`: ```bash jat-secret --list # List all available secrets jat-secret -supabase-url # Project Supabase URL jat-secret -supabase-service-role-key # Service role key eval $(jat-secret --export) # Load all as env vars ``` **For browser testing that requires login:** - Use the stored admin credentials: `jat-secret flush-admin-email` and `jat-secret flush-admin-password` - **NEVER** reset a real user's password via the admin API to log in for testing - **NEVER** use `auth.admin.updateUserById()` or `PUT /auth/v1/admin/users/` to set a password for browser verification - If the stored credentials don't work, emit `needs_input` and ask the user — do NOT reset the password Resetting passwords to test UI is destructive — it locks real users out of their accounts. ## Asking Questions During Work **Always emit `needs_input` signal BEFORE asking questions:** ```bash jat-signal needs_input '{ "taskId": "TASK_ID", "question": "Brief description of what you need", "questionType": "clarification" }' ``` Question types: `clarification`, `decision`, `approval`, `blocker`, `duplicate_check` After getting a response, emit `working` signal to resume. ## When You Finish Working **Emit `review` signal BEFORE presenting results:** ```bash jat-signal review '{ "taskId": "TASK_ID", "taskTitle": "TASK_TITLE", "summary": ["What you accomplished", "Key changes"], "filesModified": [ {"path": "src/file.ts", "changeType": "modified", "linesAdded": 50, "linesRemoved": 10} ] }' ``` Then output: ``` READY FOR REVIEW: {TASK_ID} Summary: - [accomplishment 1] - [accomplishment 2] Run /skill:jat-complete when ready to close this task. ``` ## Signal Reference | Signal | When | Required Fields | |--------|------|-----------------| | `starting` | After registration | agentName, sessionId, project, model, gitBranch, gitStatus, tools | | `working` | Before coding | taskId, taskTitle, approach | | `needs_input` | Before asking questions | taskId, question, questionType | | `review` | When work complete | taskId, taskTitle, summary | --- > Converted and distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io/claim/joewinke) — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.