Task Delegation

Task Delegation Skill

When to Delegate

Delegate when:

• Task requires specialized expertise (testing, security, documentation)
• Context is getting bloated (>70% usage)
• Task can run in parallel with other work
• Fresh perspective needed

Don't delegate when:

• Task is trivial (<5 minutes)
• Heavy context sharing required
• Sequential dependency on current work

Delegation Patterns

Sequential Delegation

{
  "mode": "sequential",
  "tasks": [
    { "agent": "planner", "task": "Create plan" },
    { "agent": "executor", "task": "Implement plan" },
    { "agent": "verifier", "task": "Verify implementation" }
  ]
}

Parallel Delegation

{
  "mode": "parallel",
  "max_concurrent": 3,
  "tasks": [
    { "agent": "executor", "task": "Implement feature A" },
    { "agent": "executor", "task": "Implement feature B" },
    { "agent": "tester", "task": "Write tests" }
  ]
}

Background Delegation

{
  "mode": "background",
  "agent": "researcher",
  "task": "Research best practices",
  "notify_on_complete": true
}

Agent Selection

Context Handoff

When delegating, pass:

1. Essential state: Current phase, spec, todos
2. Relevant files: Only files the agent needs
3. Recent decisions: Last 3-5 ADL entries
4. Constraints: Boundaries, deadlines, blockers

Don't pass:

• Full conversation history
• Verbose logs
• Unrelated file contents
• Completed task details

Direct Task Delegation (CRITICAL)

Delegation in GoopSpec uses the native task tool with rich, context-aware prompts constructed by the orchestrator.

Prompt Construction Requirements

Every delegation prompt MUST include:

1. Task Intent - What to build and why
2. Project Context - Stack, wave, existing patterns
3. Constraints - Boundaries and requirements
4. Verification - Commands to prove completion
5. Expected Output - Specific deliverables

Example Delegation

task({
  subagent_type: "goop-executor-high",
  description: "Implement user authentication",
  prompt: `
## TASK
Implement JWT-based user authentication with login/logout endpoints.

## PROJECT CONTEXT
- Stack: Next.js 14 + NextAuth
- Wave 2, Task 3 from BLUEPRINT.md
- Follow existing patterns in src/auth/
- Use jose library for JWT (already in dependencies)

## CONSTRAINTS
- Must support OAuth providers (Google, GitHub)
- Token expiry: 24 hours with refresh rotation
- Use existing session management in src/session/

## VERIFICATION
- Run: bun test src/auth/
- Manual: Test login/logout flow in browser
- Check: No hardcoded secrets or credentials

## EXPECTED OUTPUT
- src/auth/service.ts - JWT generation and validation
- src/auth/middleware.ts - Route protection middleware
- src/auth/types.ts - Auth type definitions
- Atomic commit with verification evidence
  `
})

When to Delegate

Available subagent_types

Common Mistakes

Full Example

task({
  subagent_type: "goop-executor-high",
  description: "Implement password reset flow",
  prompt: `
## TASK
Implement password reset flow with email verification.

## PROJECT CONTEXT
- Stack: Next.js 14, Prisma, Resend
- Wave 2, Task 3 from BLUEPRINT.md
- Follow existing auth patterns in src/auth/
- Email templates in src/templates/

## CONSTRAINTS
- Reset token expires in 1 hour
- One-time use tokens only
- Rate limit: 3 requests per hour per email
- Must log all reset attempts

## VERIFICATION
- Run: bun test src/auth/reset.test.ts
- Manual: Test full reset flow with real email
- Check: Token invalidation after use

## EXPECTED OUTPUT
- src/auth/reset.ts - Reset logic
- src/api/auth/reset.ts - API endpoint
- src/templates/reset-email.tsx - Email template
- Atomic commit with test evidence
  `
})

Error Handling

If delegated task fails:

1. Check error type (timeout, crash, assertion)
2. Save partial progress as checkpoint
3. Decide: retry, reassign, or escalate
4. Log failure to ADL if significant

Best Practices

1. Clear instructions: Specific, unambiguous task descriptions
2. Scoped context: Only relevant information
3. Defined success: Clear verification criteria
4. Timeout limits: Set reasonable time bounds
5. Progress tracking: Monitor via todos/checkpoints

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