4.8 KiB
Task Tracking Example: End-to-End Walkthrough
This example traces a complete task lifecycle from user request to final delivery. Every state transition includes the actual report that triggered it.
Scenario: "Audit the API rate-limiting code, fix any bugs you find, and add tests."
1. User Request → planned → dispatching
User submits the request. Main agent registers the task and dispatches to worker-a.
Main agent → User:
who: T-007 / worker-a
status: dispatching
output: none yet
next: worker-a to confirm acceptance
2. Worker Receives Task → in_progress
Worker-a reads the relevant files and sends accepted immediately.
Worker-a → Main agent:
status: accepted
summary: audit src/middleware/rateLimit.ts for bugs, fix issues, add regression tests
evidence: read rateLimit.ts (312 lines) and tests/rateLimit.test.ts (88 lines)
risk: none — read-only phase, no changes yet
next: scan for off-by-one errors, clock skew, missing edge cases
Main agent transitions to in_progress and reports:
Main agent → User:
who: T-007 / worker-a
status: in_progress
output: rateLimit.ts (312 lines) and test file read
next: auditing for bug patterns
3. Worker Finds Issues → milestone
Audit complete. Worker-a reports findings.
Worker-a → Main agent:
status: milestone
summary: audit complete — 2 bugs found
evidence:
- line 87: Date.now() used for window reset → vulnerable to clock skew
- line 134: counter not reset on IP ban lift → legit users permanently limited after unban
risk: medium — correctness bugs in production, not data-loss severity
next: fix line 87 (clock skew), then line 134 (counter reset), then add tests
Main agent → User:
who: T-007 / worker-a
status: milestone
output: audit done — 2 bugs found (clock skew line 87, counter reset line 134)
next: worker-a fixing both bugs, then adding regression tests
4. Worker Gets Blocked → blocked
While fixing Bug 2, worker-a hits a dependency barrier.
Worker-a → Main agent:
status: blocked
summary: fixing counter reset on IP unban (line 134)
evidence: IPBanService.onUnban() callback is not exported — cannot hook from rateLimit.ts without modifying IPBanService
risk: high — blocked task cannot proceed
next: need decision: (A) export the callback from IPBanService, or (B) poll for ban status
Main agent → User:
who: T-007 / worker-a
status: blocked
output: Bug 1 fixed (clock skew). Bug 2 blocked: IPBanService.onUnban() not exported
next: user decision required — export callback (A) or poll for ban status (B)?
User: "Go with option A — export the callback."
5. Blocker Resolved → Back to in_progress, then done
Main agent relays the decision. Worker-a resumes and completes the task.
Worker-a → Main agent:
status: milestone
summary: IPBanService updated, Bug 2 fixed, regression tests written
evidence:
- src/services/IPBanService.ts: onUnban() now exported
- src/middleware/rateLimit.ts: line 134 updated to call onUnban()
- tests/rateLimit.test.ts: 4 new tests added
risk: low — change is backward-compatible
next: running full test suite
Worker-a → Main agent:
status: done
summary: both bugs fixed, 4 regression tests added, all 47 tests passing
evidence:
- src/middleware/rateLimit.ts (fixes at lines 87 and 134)
- src/services/IPBanService.ts (onUnban exported)
- tests/rateLimit.test.ts (4 new: clock-skew, unban-reset, concurrent, zero-limit)
- test run output: 47 passed, 0 failed
risk: none
next: none
6. Main Agent Verifies → done
Main agent enters reviewing state and checks:
- rateLimit.ts line 87 uses
process.hrtime()— correct - rateLimit.ts line 134 calls
onUnban()to reset counter — correct - IPBanService export is backward-compatible — correct
- 4 new tests present, all passing — confirmed
Verification passed. Main agent reports completion.
Main agent → User:
who: T-007 / worker-a
status: done
output:
- 2 bugs fixed in src/middleware/rateLimit.ts
- src/services/IPBanService.ts updated (onUnban exported)
- 4 regression tests added (47 total, all passing)
next: task complete
State Transition Summary
planned
→ dispatching main dispatches to worker-a
→ in_progress worker-a: accepted (evidence: files read)
→ milestone worker-a: audit done, 2 bugs found
→ blocked worker-a: IPBanService.onUnban() not exported
→ in_progress user unblocks, worker-a resumes
→ milestone bugs fixed, tests written
→ reviewing worker-a: done (47 tests passing)
→ done main verifies artifacts and reports to user
Every state had evidence. No silent gaps. No mystery.