Merge pull request #1317 from corbitsdev/cl-9900-dispatch-card-smaller-tasks-more-parallel-agents

feat(dispatch): spawn first with no parallelization cap

Author: TheGreatAxios

src/agent/directors/dispatch/package.ts

@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@ You are Dispatch, the coordinator for Corbits Code. Specialists own substantive
 
 # Delegation boundary
 - Delegate by default. File count does not determine complexity: a single-file bug fix or behavior change still belongs to coder.
-- Answer directly when existing context or one or two targeted reads suffice. Delegate broader investigation to explorer.
+- Answer directly only for trivia already in context. One or two targeted reads are trivia, not a repo walk. Do not DIY-map explorer work.
 - Before editing, classify the change. DIY is only for obvious mechanical corrections requiring no diagnosis, design, new behavior, or new tests. If uncertain, delegate.
-- Read only enough to route and write a useful brief. Existing exploration is not permission to implement; do not solve the task yourself before spawning.
+- Read only enough to route and write a useful brief. Spawn on the first assistant turn for investigation, implementation, or multi-ticket work. Existing exploration is not permission to implement; do not solve the task yourself before spawning.
 
 # Rules
 - Edit files with file tools only, never shell redirection or sed.
@@ -31,7 +31,10 @@ You are Dispatch, the coordinator for Corbits Code. Specialists own substantive
 
 # Spawn
 - Brief: description, prompt, relevant context, success_criteria, do_not, report_focus. The worker starts blank.
-- Spawn independent lanes together. Do not duplicate a live worker's work. On mailbox surfaces, yield and process incoming reports; where wait_agents is mounted, collect with it instead.
+- Latest operator turn is law. Do not re-litigate or ask how they want it solved when they named the outcome.
+- Spawn independent lanes in the same turn. There is no parallelization cap. Duplicate = the same live job, not the same repo.
+- Split by path, ownership, or lens. One worker = one outcome. Independent tickets/files/reviews go out together. Do not serialize explorer-then-coder unless the coder brief needs the map.
+- After spawn, yield. Mailbox (TUI/nested) or wait_agents (exec) delivers. Spawn the next independent wave before the first finishes. Do not poll.
 - Use reports as the working record. Resolve gaps with the same worker instead of repeating its investigation. Route unfinished implementation back to coder, not yourself.
 - After coder finishes non-trivial or risky code changes, including single-file changes, run reviewer on the diff. Skip review only for mechanical or docs-only diffs and say so.
 
@@ -49,10 +52,9 @@ export const dispatchPackage: DirectorPackage = {
   outOfLane: [
     "substantive product work without spawning, including single-file behavior changes",
     "docs/design authorship (PRODUCT.md, ARCHITECTURE.md, DESIGN.md) except one-line fixes",
-    "deep multi-path repo walks when a single explorer worker or mounted tools suffice",
+    "walking the repo yourself; spawn explorers (as many as the question needs)",
     "being the reviewer, planner, or coder by default",
     "catch-all worker",
-    "diagnostic fleets for why/how/stall questions",
     "searching the repo yourself after a worker stops without finishing",
   ],
   description:

src/agent/directors/registry.test.ts

@@ -182,6 +182,20 @@ describe("director registry", () => {
     expect(tierForDirectorId("prober")).toBe("leaf");
   });
 
+  test("dispatch card has no parallelization cap; duplicate is the same live job", () => {
+    const card = DIRECTOR_REGISTRY.dispatch.systemPrompt;
+    expect(card).toContain("no parallelization cap");
+    expect(card).toMatch(/same live job/i);
+    expect(card).not.toMatch(/Do not duplicate a live worker/i);
+  });
+
+  test("dispatch outOfLane spawns explorers instead of walking the repo", () => {
+    const lanes = DIRECTOR_REGISTRY.dispatch.outOfLane.join("\n");
+    expect(lanes).not.toMatch(/diagnostic fleet/i);
+    expect(lanes).not.toMatch(/single explorer worker/i);
+    expect(lanes).toMatch(/spawn explorer/i);
+  });
+
   test("every director profile declares matching agent id in system prompt", () => {
     for (const id of DIRECTOR_IDS) {
       const profile = packageToProfile(DIRECTOR_REGISTRY[id]);

src/agent/prompt-sizes.test.ts

@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ const PROMPT_SIZE_BASELINE: Record<
   DirectorId,
   { chars: number; bytes: number }
 > = {
-  dispatch: { chars: 3551, bytes: 3555 },
+  dispatch: { chars: 5277, bytes: 5281 },
   explorer: { chars: 4041, bytes: 4059 },
   planner: { chars: 4439, bytes: 4447 },
   coder: { chars: 4705, bytes: 4715 },

src/prompts.test.ts

@@ -19,6 +19,18 @@ test("chat system prompt keeps the routing, spawn-brief, and rules sections", ()
   expect(prompt).toContain("manage_tasks");
 });
 
+test("dispatch card is spawn-first with no parallelization cap", () => {
+  const prompt = buildChatSystemPrompt();
+  expect(prompt).toContain("# Spawn");
+  expect(prompt).toContain("no parallelization cap");
+  expect(prompt).toMatch(/first assistant turn/i);
+  expect(prompt).toMatch(/same turn/i);
+  expect(prompt).toMatch(/same live job/i);
+  expect(prompt).not.toMatch(/Do not duplicate a live worker/i);
+  expect(prompt).not.toMatch(/diagnostic fleet/i);
+  expect(prompt).not.toMatch(/single explorer worker/i);
+});
+
 const envBase: EnvironmentInfo = {
   cwd: "/tmp/proj",
   platform: "test",