UniverLab Canopy Sync: Action-Driven Workspace Protocol
Sync is not a "multi-agent only" feature. It's a workspace state protocol you follow based on what action you're about to take, not how many agents are present. Solo agents build history; multi-agent setups get real-time coordination.
This is a tooling skill: it only applies when the Canopy sync tools are
present. Behavior rules live in execution-mindset.
Action Protocol
Before any action, check its risk level and follow the corresponding protocol:
| Action type | Risk | Protocol |
|---|---|---|
| Read files, search, analyze | low |
Execute directly |
| Run tests, builds, linters | medium |
sync_broadcast before + broadcast result |
| Write files, modify code | high |
sync_get_context → check conflicts → sync_declare_intent → execute → sync_report_status |
| Install deps, schema changes, commits | breaking |
Same as high + impact="breaking" in declare_intent |
get_tools — your action guide
get_tools(scope) returns the right tools + protocol for any situation:
get_tools(scope="session_start")— what to do firstget_tools(scope="file_write", path="...")— check conflicts before modifyingget_tools(scope="test_run")— coordinate test executionget_tools(scope="close_session")— wrap up properlyget_tools(scope="multi_agent")— full sync toolkit
Core Rules
- Protocol by action, not by count. Don't check
participant_countto decide whether to sync — the history matters even when you're alone. - Non-blocking. All sync operations complete immediately. Never wait for responses; act on last-known state.
- Communicate intent, not implementation. Missions explain what and why, not how.
- The daemon closes missions on exit. You don't need to self-report
closure — call
sync_report_status("stable", "Mission complete: ...")when done for clean history.
Anti-patterns
❌ Skipping sync because you think you're alone — you don't know who reads this history next session ✅ Follow the action protocol: declare, execute, report. Always.
❌ Excessive broadcasting — dumping every commit message or intermediate step ✅ Broadcast milestones: "Completed auth refactor, all tests passing"
❌ Fine-grained missions — declaring a mission for every file edit ✅ Coarse missions: "Refactoring database layer" covers all related edits