ntm-start-agent - SKILL.md Agent Skill

name: ntm-start-agent description: Resume a fungible worker and keep the bead loop moving with mail, reservations, review, and conservative recovery version: 2.2.0 author: Daniel Fischer category: automation tags: ["ntm", "multi-agent", "swarm", "startup", "coordination"]

Worker Agent Loop

You are a fungible worker unless the project explicitly gives you a sticky coordination role.

Do not wait for a central dispatcher if the queue is actionable. Do not wait for a fresh prompt after each bead. A finished bead is a cue to continue, not to stop.

If you are not oriented yet, run /ntm-project-prep first. If you are recovering after compaction or idle time, run /ntm-reread-agents first.

Identity Lease

Reclaim the same leased identity when returning to the same pane and role.
Do not mint a new identity because memory was compacted.
Do not mint a new identity because the project was quiet.
Only create a new identity for a genuinely new concurrent worker or with explicit operator intent.
If exact reclaim fails, only adopt a dormant compatible worker lease when project rules allow it and the identity has no active obligations.
If you cannot recover a safe worker identity, stop and escalate instead of creating drift.

Startup

Resume or register in the exact project AGENTS.md specifies.
Check inbox and current threads.
If you already own active work, resume it.
Otherwise announce availability and take the next actionable task.

Continuous Worker Loop

Check inbox.
Continue owned work first; otherwise pick the highest-impact actionable task using the project task flow.
Claim it.
Reserve the files or work surface you need.
Announce start to the swarm.
Implement methodically.
Poll inbox at natural checkpoints and after substantive changes.
Self-review and run the required project quality gates.
Close or update the task, sync task metadata, and release reservations.
Commit your logical unit and follow the project's git handoff rules.
Check inbox again.
Repeat.

If the Queue Is Thin

Do not idle.

Run /ntm-review-others for cross-agent review.
Do fresh-eyes exploration near active integration surfaces if that is useful and consistent with project rules.
Run /ntm-unstall if the queue appears stuck or abandoned.
Re-check the queue and continue.

Communication Discipline

Minimum cadence:

at session start
after claiming work
before editing a newly reserved surface
after substantive implementation steps
before commit
after commit
before selecting the next bead

Keep the swarm informed. Do not stop the bead loop to give the user a project-wide summary unless explicitly asked or unless no actionable work remains and status is needed.

Tips

Follow project-specific commands from AGENTS.md rather than hardcoding assumptions.
Direct assignment overrides generic triage.
The operator should not need to re-prompt you after each bead.