Specify the delegation contract

Isolation only works if the interface between agents is narrow and typed.

First time here? Paste the Context Pack first so the AI understands your project - open it from the header above.

Prompt Capsule

Design the dispatch_agent tool contract. Input: a task prompt that must contain (a) the question or job, (b) the exact deliverable format (e.g. 'a list of file paths with one-line reasons'), and (c) what to do if the answer cannot be found. Output: a single report string plus metadata (turns used, tools called, truncated: bool). Rules: sub-agent receives its own system prompt describing it as a focused researcher; it gets read-only tools unless the parent explicitly grants more; depth limit 1; turn budget 10. Write this contract as the tool description the parent model will read.

Paste into EmergentFull Build: complete implementation prompt with explicit requirements

Quick is short. Full Build is recommended for most steps. Strict forces real logic when the AI keeps faking output.

Actual change check

Expected after this step

A dispatch tool contract with deliverable-format requirements built in.

Should NOT happen

An existing feature broke
A button only logs to console
Data disappears after refresh
Errors fail silently with no visible state

This is what should exist before you continue. If reality does not match, do not move on.

Your notes for this step

Track what changed, failed, or needs follow-up. Notes export with the flow.

Pass the Verify Gate to complete this step

Verify before continuing

Do not move on until every check is true. The complete button stays locked until then.

Task prompt must specify the deliverableRead-only default is explicitDepth and turn budgets are stated

Do not continue if…

! Returning the sub-agent's whole transcript, defeating the purpose of isolation
! Vague task prompts producing vague reports the parent cannot use
! Unlimited recursion: sub-agents spawning sub-agents until the budget burns
! Giving sub-agents full write access for what should be a research errand

If the AI messes this up

Use this when:

- it only made visual forms or placeholder UI
- buttons do nothing or only log to console
- data is not persisted - state disappears on refresh
- something that worked before is now broken

Use this when the AI fakes progress or breaks the feature. It forces a real fix.

Sub-agent reports are rambling and unusable. Enforce the contract at dispatch time: reject task prompts that do not state a deliverable format, returning a corrective message to the parent model.