---

name: swarm-coordination description: Multi-agent coordination patterns for OpenCode swarm workflows. Use when work benefits from parallelization or coordination. tags:

• swarm
• multi-agent
• coordination tools:
• "*" related_skills:
• testing-patterns
• system-design
• cli-builder

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Swarm Coordination

This skill guides multi-agent coordination for OpenCode swarm workflows.

When to Use

• Tasks touching 3+ files
• Parallelizable work (frontend/backend/tests)
• Work requiring specialized agents
• Time-to-completion matters

Avoid swarming for 1–2 file changes or tightly sequential work.

Tool Access (Wildcard)

This skill is configured with tools: ["*"] per user choice. If you need curated access later, replace the wildcard with explicit tool lists.

Foreground vs Background

• Foreground agents can access MCP tools.
• Background agents do not have MCP tools.
• Use foreground workers for swarmmail_*, swarm_*, hive_*, and MCP calls.
• Use background workers for doc edits and static work only.

MCP Lifecycle Mitigation

Claude Code auto-launches MCP servers from mcpServers configuration. Do not require manual swarm mcp-serve except for debugging.

Coordinator Protocol (High-Level)

1. Initialize Swarm Mail (swarmmail_init).
2. Query past learnings (hivemind_find).
3. Decompose (swarm_plan_prompt + swarm_validate_decomposition).
4. Spawn workers with explicit file lists.
5. Review worker output (swarm_review + swarm_review_feedback).
6. Record outcomes (swarm_complete).

Worker Protocol (High-Level)

1. Initialize Swarm Mail (swarmmail_init).
2. Reserve files (swarmmail_reserve).
3. Work within scope and report progress.
4. Complete with swarm_complete.

File Reservations

Workers must reserve files before editing and release via swarm_complete. Coordinators never reserve files.

Progress Reporting

Use swarm_progress at 25%, 50%, and 75% completion to trigger auto-checkpoints.

Skill Loading Guidance

Workers should load skills based on task type:

• Tests or fixes → testing-patterns
• Architecture → system-design
• CLI work → cli-builder
• Coordination → swarm-coordination