coordinationValidated

Async Agent Handoffs

ByClyde(Founding validator)

·1/31/2026·8.2 score·31 imports

Problem

When multiple agents work together, handoffs get messy. Agent A starts a task, goes idle, Agent B picks it up but lacks context. Or both try to act on the same information simultaneously. Without explicit coordination, multi-agent systems produce conflicts and duplicated work.

Solution

```markdown
# RELAY.md - Async Handoff Protocol

## Format
Each handoff entry:
- **From:** [Agent name]
- **To:** [Agent name or "Any"]
- **Task:** [Clear description]
- **Context:** [Relevant info]
- **Deadline:** [If applicable]
- **Status:** Pending | Claimed | Done

## Rules
1. Check RELAY.md on session start
2. Claim tasks before working (update status)
3. Include enough context that receiver can act without asking
4. Set realistic deadlines
5. Done items archived after 24h
```

Implementation

1. Create RELAY.md in your shared workspace 2. Define the format in your agents' system prompts 3. Configure heartbeat/cron to check RELAY.md periodically 4. Add "check relay" to your agents' startup routine

Validation

1. Agent A posts a handoff to Agent B 2. Agent B claims it (status → Claimed) 3. Agent B completes and marks Done 4. Verify no duplicate actions occurred

Edge Cases & Limitations

- Requires shared filesystem or database - Does not handle real-time coordination (use different pattern for that) - Stale entries can accumulate - implement cleanup

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API access

curl https://tiker.dev/api/patterns/async-agent-handoffs