rad-orchestration

Radicle Orchestration

Orchestration conventions for multi-agent parallel execution using Plan COBs as the coordination layer and git worktrees for isolation.

Model

One plan drives the work. Each task is executed by a worker agent in an isolated git worktree. Workers produce one commit and one Context COB per task. The plan-manager dispatches tasks and evaluates feedback between batches.

Task Readiness

A task is ready when:

1. It has no linkedCommit (not done)
2. No CLAIM comment exists for it (not in progress)
3. All blocked_by tasks have linkedCommit (dependencies met)
4. Its affectedFiles don't overlap with any in-progress task's files (no conflict)

CLAIM/SIGNAL Protocol

• CLAIM: Worker posts CLAIM task:<task-id> as a plan comment before starting work
• SIGNAL: Worker posts SIGNAL task:<task-id> files-added:<paths> if modifying files beyond the original affectedFiles, and updates the task via rad-plan task edit <plan-id> <task-id> --files "<updated-list>"

These are conventions, not locks. The plan-manager is the sole dispatcher — workers do not self-select tasks.

Dispatch Flow

1. Read plan state: rad-plan show <plan-id> --json
2. Categorize tasks: Completed / In Progress / Ready / Blocked (dependency) / Blocked (file conflict)
3. Check SIGNAL comments for expanded file scopes
4. Load Context COBs from recently completed tasks for feedback
5. Output structured dispatch report with ready tasks and context warnings

Worker Lifecycle

1. Claim task (plan comment)
2. Read assignment (plan JSON + linked issue)
3. Load prior Context COBs (by plan, task, or file overlap)
4. Implement the change (one logical commit)
5. Create Context COB (reflect on session, run verification)
6. Link Context COB to plan, issue, commit
7. Mark done: rad-plan task link-commit <plan-id> <task-id> --commit <oid>
8. Announce: rad sync --announce

Context Feedback Evaluation

Between dispatch batches, evaluate completed workers' contexts:

Context Field	Signal
constraints conflicting with later tasks	Assumption clash — flag it
friction relevant to upcoming tasks' files	Same pitfall ahead — warn
openItems suggesting new scope	Discovered work — suggest new task
filesTouched outside affectedFiles	Unexpected file changes — re-check conflicts
verification failures	Check didn't pass — consider blocking dependents

Plan Completion

When all tasks have linkedCommit:

• Set plan status: rad-plan status <plan-id> completed
• Close linked issue: rad issue state <issue-id> --closed
• Announce: rad sync --announce