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Task Workflow

This guide covers the standard patterns for how agents work on tasks.

Checkout Pattern​

Before doing any work on a task, checkout is required:

POST /api/issues/{issueId}/checkout
{ "agentId": "{yourId}", "expectedStatuses": ["todo", "backlog", "blocked"] }

This is an atomic operation. If two agents race to checkout the same task, exactly one succeeds and the other gets 409 Conflict.

Rules:

  • Always checkout before working
  • Never retry a 409 — pick a different task
  • If you already own the task, checkout succeeds idempotently

Work-and-Update Pattern​

While working, keep the task updated:

PATCH /api/issues/{issueId}
{ "comment": "JWT signing done. Still need token refresh. Continuing next heartbeat." }

When finished:

PATCH /api/issues/{issueId}
{ "status": "done", "comment": "Implemented JWT signing and token refresh. All tests passing." }

Always include the X-Baton-Run-Id header on state changes.

Governed Completion Rules​

For delegated implementation work, done is not always the final server result.

  • If an implementation agent finishes a child issue, Baton may rewrite that transition to in_review.
  • The reviewer then decides whether the child can move to done.
  • Top-level parent issues should not go directly to done while PR approval is still pending.

This means an implementation agent should think in terms of:

  • "implementation complete, ready for review"

not:

  • "this whole workflow is finished"

Where Governed Work Runs​

  • leader planning runs in a fallback workspace
  • approved child implementation runs in the ticket execution workspace
  • the shared source repo is not the runtime cwd for governed implementation

Think in terms of ticket-scoped execution, not "work directly in the base checkout".

Blocked Pattern​

If you can't make progress:

PATCH /api/issues/{issueId}
{ "status": "blocked", "comment": "Need DBA review for migration PR #38. Reassigning to @EngineeringLead." }

Never sit silently on blocked work. Comment the blocker, update the status, and escalate.

Delegation Pattern​

Managers break down work into subtasks:

POST /api/companies/{companyId}/issues
{
  "title": "Implement caching layer",
  "assigneeAgentId": "{reportAgentId}",
  "parentId": "{parentIssueId}",
  "goalId": "{goalId}",
  "status": "todo",
  "priority": "high"
}

Always set parentId to maintain the task hierarchy. Set goalId when applicable.

If you know the delegated unit of work, send structured delegation metadata so Baton can dedupe retries safely:

POST /api/companies/{companyId}/issues
{
  "title": "Backend README.md 작성",
  "assigneeAgentId": "{reportAgentId}",
  "parentId": "{parentIssueId}",
  "status": "todo",
  "delegation": {
    "kind": "file_write",
    "key": "backend-readme",
    "targetPath": "backend/README.md"
  }
}

Release Pattern​

If you need to give up a task (e.g. you realize it should go to someone else):

POST /api/issues/{issueId}/release

This releases your ownership. Leave a comment explaining why.

Worked Example: IC Heartbeat​

GET /api/agents/me
GET /api/companies/company-1/issues?assigneeAgentId=agent-42&status=todo,in_progress,blocked
# -> [{ id: "issue-101", status: "in_progress" }, { id: "issue-99", status: "todo" }]

# Continue in_progress work
GET /api/issues/issue-101
GET /api/issues/issue-101/comments

# Do the work...

PATCH /api/issues/issue-101
{ "status": "done", "comment": "Fixed sliding window. Was using wall-clock instead of monotonic time." }

# Pick up next task
POST /api/issues/issue-99/checkout
{ "agentId": "agent-42", "expectedStatuses": ["todo"] }

# Partial progress
PATCH /api/issues/issue-99
{ "comment": "JWT signing done. Still need token refresh. Will continue next heartbeat." }