working on a different approach for roles

OUTPUT_PROTOCOL.md

@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # Output Protocol
 
+**SCOPE**: This protocol controls communication style only. It does NOT modify workflow steps, role requirements, or delegation mandates.
+
 Be terse. No preamble. No summaries of completed actions. No narration.
 Output only: errors, ambiguities requiring human input, and final deliverables.
 If a step succeeded, do not announce it — the tool output is the confirmation.

claude/agent/anvillm-agent.md

@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ permissionMode: bypassPermissions
 
 # Output Protocol
 
+**SCOPE**: This protocol controls communication style only. It does NOT modify workflow steps, role requirements, or delegation mandates.
+
 Be terse. No preamble. No summaries of completed actions. No narration.
 Output only: errors, ambiguities requiring human input, and final deliverables.
 If a step succeeded, do not announce it — the tool output is the confirmation.

internal/backend/tmux/session.go

@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ type Session struct {
 	winID       int    // Acme window ID (0 if not applicable)
 	pid         int
 	state       string
+	role               string // bot role (developer, reviewer, tester, etc.)
 	context            string // injected into first prompt only
 	initialPromptSent  bool   // true after context was sent; reset on clear/compact/stop/restart
 	createdAt          time.Time
@@ -234,6 +235,20 @@ func (s *Session) GetContext() string {
 	return s.context
 }
 
+// SetRole sets the bot role
+func (s *Session) SetRole(role string) {
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	defer s.mu.Unlock()
+	s.role = role
+}
+
+// GetRole gets the bot role
+func (s *Session) GetRole() string {
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	defer s.mu.Unlock()
+	return s.role
+}
+
 // SetWinID sets the Acme window ID
 func (s *Session) SetWinID(winID int) {
 	s.mu.Lock()

internal/p9/roles.go

@@ -325,3 +325,23 @@ func (r *RolesFS) Read(path string) ([]byte, error) {
 
 	return nil, fmt.Errorf("role not found")
 }
+
+// ReadRole reads a role by name, searching all focus areas
+func (r *RolesFS) ReadRole(roleName string) (string, error) {
+	roles, err := r.listAllRoles()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	for _, role := range roles {
+		if role.Name == roleName {
+			content, err := os.ReadFile(role.Path)
+			if err != nil {
+				return "", err
+			}
+			return string(content), nil
+		}
+	}
+
+	return "", fmt.Errorf("role %s not found", roleName)
+}

internal/p9/server.go

@@ -111,10 +111,11 @@ const (
 	fileTmux
 	fileMail
 	fileModel
+	fileRole
 	fileCount
 )
 
-var fileNames = []string{"ctl", "state", "pid", "cwd", "alias", "backend", "context", "sandbox", "tmux", "mail", "model"}
+var fileNames = []string{"ctl", "state", "pid", "cwd", "alias", "backend", "context", "sandbox", "tmux", "mail", "model", "role"}
 
 // Directory names in session
 var dirNames = []string{"inbox", "outbox", "completed"}
@@ -908,6 +909,27 @@ func (s *Server) write(cs *connState, fc *plan9.Fcall) *plan9.Fcall {
 		return &plan9.Fcall{Type: plan9.Rwrite, Tag: fc.Tag, Count: uint32(len(fc.Data))}
 	}
 
+	// /{id}/role - set role and auto-load from RolesFS
+	if len(parts) == 2 && parts[1] == "role" {
+		sess := s.mgr.Get(parts[0])
+		if sess == nil {
+			return errFcall(fc, "session not found")
+		}
+		if tmuxSess, ok := sess.(*tmux.Session); ok {
+			tmuxSess.SetRole(input)
+			// Auto-load role definition from RolesFS
+			if s.roles != nil {
+				roleContent, err := s.roles.ReadRole(input)
+				if err != nil {
+					logging.Logger().Warn("role not found", zap.String("role", input), zap.Error(err))
+				} else {
+					tmuxSess.SetContext(roleContent)
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		return &plan9.Fcall{Type: plan9.Rwrite, Tag: fc.Tag, Count: uint32(len(fc.Data))}
+	}
+
 	// /{id}/state - set session state (with validation)
 	if len(parts) == 2 && parts[1] == "state" {
 		sessID := parts[0]
@@ -1643,6 +1665,11 @@ func (s *Server) getSessionFile(sess backend.Session, idx int) string {
 		return ""
 	case fileModel:
 		return sess.Model()
+	case fileRole:
+		if tmuxSess, ok := sess.(*tmux.Session); ok {
+			return tmuxSess.GetRole()
+		}
+		return ""
 	}
 	return ""
 }

internal/supervisor/supervisor.go

@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func (s *Supervisor) assignWork() {
 		return
 	}
 	
-	// Get all claimable tasks from all projects
+	// Get all ready tasks from all projects
 	ready, err := s.beads.Read("ready")
 	if err != nil || len(ready) == 0 {
 		return
@@ -43,31 +43,21 @@ func (s *Supervisor) assignWork() {
 		return
 	}
 	
-	// Filter for claimable tasks
-	claimable := []map[string]interface{}{}
+	// Filter for unassigned tasks
+	unassigned := []map[string]interface{}{}
 	for _, bead := range beads {
 		// Skip if already assigned
 		if assignee, ok := bead["assignee"].(string); ok && assignee != "" {
 			continue
 		}
-		
-		labels, ok := bead["labels"].([]interface{})
-		if !ok {
-			continue
-		}
-		for _, label := range labels {
-			if labelStr, ok := label.(string); ok && labelStr == "claimable" {
-				claimable = append(claimable, bead)
-				break
-			}
-		}
+		unassigned = append(unassigned, bead)
 	}
 	
-	if len(claimable) == 0 {
+	if len(unassigned) == 0 {
 		return
 	}
 	
-	// Try to assign to idle bots in matching project directories
+	// Try to assign to idle bots with matching role
 	bots := s.sessions.List()
 	for _, botID := range bots {
 		sess := s.sessions.Get(botID)
@@ -77,8 +67,16 @@ func (s *Supervisor) assignWork() {
 		}
 		botCwd := sess.Metadata().Cwd
 		
+		// Get bot role (default to "developer" if not set)
+		botRole := "developer"
+		if tmuxSess, ok := sess.(interface{ GetRole() string }); ok {
+			if role := tmuxSess.GetRole(); role != "" {
+				botRole = role
+			}
+		}
+		
 		// Only assign if session CWD is exactly or under task mountpoint
-		for _, bead := range claimable {
+		for _, bead := range unassigned {
 			taskCwd, ok := bead["cwd"].(string)
 			if !ok {
 				continue
@@ -88,6 +86,24 @@ func (s *Supervisor) assignWork() {
 				continue
 			}
 			
+			// Extract role label from bead (format: "role:developer")
+			beadRole := "developer" // default
+			if labels, ok := bead["labels"].([]interface{}); ok {
+				for _, label := range labels {
+					if labelStr, ok := label.(string); ok {
+						if role, found := strings.CutPrefix(labelStr, "role:"); found {
+							beadRole = role
+							break
+						}
+					}
+				}
+			}
+			
+			// Skip if role doesn't match
+			if beadRole != botRole {
+				continue
+			}
+			
 			beadID := bead["id"].(string)
 			mountName := filepath.Base(taskCwd)
 			

roles/developer.md

@@ -47,24 +47,21 @@ After writing code:
 
 ## Development Workflow
 
-Iterate until both reviewer and tester approve:
+Iterate until reviewer and/or tester approve (delegate as needed):
 
 ```
-Plan/Research => Develop => Review => Test
-     ^            ^          |         |
-     |            |          v         |
-     |            '----------'         |
-     '-------------------------------'
+Plan/Research => Develop => Review/Test (as needed)
+     ^            ^          |
+     |            |          v
+     |            '----------'
+     '----------------------'
 ```
 
-1. **Plan/Research**: Delegate research queries to researcher bot
+1. **Plan/Research**: Delegate research queries to researcher bot if needed
 2. **Develop**: Write code based on requirements and research
-3. **Review**: Send code to reviewer bot, wait for REVIEW_RESPONSE
-   - If "LGTM": kill reviewer bot, proceed to Test
+3. **Review/Test**: Delegate to reviewer and/or tester as needed, wait for responses
+   - If approved: kill delegated bots, complete
    - If rejected: fix issues and return to Develop
-4. **Test**: Send APPROVAL_REQUEST to tester bot, wait for APPROVAL_RESPONSE
-   - If status "Approved": kill tester bot, complete
-   - If status "Rejected": fix issues and return to Develop
 
 ## Message Protocol
 

skills/anvillm-communication/SKILL.md

@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ when_to_load: Load when you need to send messages to other agents, respond to th
 3. TYPE is the message type: [PROMPT_REQUEST, QUERY_REQUEST, REVIEW_REQUEST, APPROVAL_REQUEST]
 3a. Response types mirror request types: PROMPT_REQUEST→PROMPT_RESPONSE, QUERY_REQUEST→QUERY_RESPONSE, REVIEW_REQUEST→REVIEW_RESPONSE, APPROVAL_REQUEST→APPROVAL_RESPONSE.
 4. SUBJECT is a brief description of what you did
-4a. Response subjects are the subject of the original message prefixed by "Re: "
 5. BODY is a detailed summary of what you did, including actions performed, files changed, diffs, etc.
 
 ### Receiving Messages

skills/anvillm-sessions/SKILL.md

@@ -10,12 +10,12 @@ Create and control agent sessions.
 
 ## Commands
 
-All commands must be run via `execute_code` tool:
+All commands must be run via `execute_code` tool, EXCEPT spawn_agent.sh which must NOT use execute_code:
 
 - List sessions: `list_sessions.sh`
 - Create session: `create_session.sh <backend> <cwd> [sandbox=<sandbox>] [model=<model>]`
 - Control session: `control_session.sh <session-id> <command>`
-- Spawn agent: `spawn_agent.sh <agent-id> [cwd-path] [initial-context-prompt]`
+- Spawn agent: `spawn_agent.sh <agent-id> [cwd-path] [initial-context-prompt]` (do NOT use execute_code)
 - Kill agent: `kill_agent.sh [cwd-path]`
 
 ## Backends

skills/beads/SKILL.md

@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ description: Manage tasks using the beads 9P interface. Use when creating, updat
 - Read bead: `bash <(9p read tools/beads/read_bead.sh) <mount> <id> <property>`
 - Read bead JSON: `bash <(9p read tools/beads/read_bead.sh) <mount> <id> json`
 - Read bead comments: `bash <(9p read tools/beads/read_bead.sh) <mount> <id> comments`
+
+**IMPORTANT:** When working on a bead, always check `comment_count` in the JSON output. If > 0, read comments for additional context, decisions, or blockers.
+
 - Claim bead: `bash <(9p read tools/beads/claim_bead.sh) <mount> bd-abc [$AGENT_ID]`
 - Complete bead: `bash <(9p read tools/beads/complete_bead.sh) <mount> bd-abc`
 - Fail bead: `bash <(9p read tools/beads/fail_bead.sh) <mount> bd-abc "reason"`
@@ -35,17 +38,6 @@ description: Manage tasks using the beads 9P interface. Use when creating, updat
 
 **Note:** Delete does not cascade. To delete a parent and all children, delete children first, then parent.
 
-## Workflow
-
-**IMPORTANT:** When working on a bead, always check `comment_count` in the JSON output. If > 0, read comments for additional context, decisions, or blockers.
-
-1. Find a ready task
-2. Claim the ticket being worked on
-3. Use agent-kb skill to search the knowledge base.
-4. Do work
-5. Verify all children completed
-6. Only if all children completed, complete the parent. Otherwise, work on other unblocked child tasks.
-
 ## Rules
 
 - Discover your mount first using mtab