Swarm

---
name: swarm
description: "Fan out N independent workers, collect their results, and return one report for coverage, races, gauntlets, or exploration."
---

# Swarm

Fan out N independent workers. They may cover separate slices, race the same brief, or mix both. The parent waits, aggregates, and returns one report.

## Start

Open a todolist with one entry per phase before launching anything.

1. Frame
2. Fan out
3. Aggregate
4. Report

## Phase A: Frame

1. State the done predicate and the artifact or report the swarm must return.
2. Choose the shape. Partition into slices, race N workers on identical briefs, or mix both. For a race or mixed shape, declare `first pass`, `rank all`, or `best-of` before spawning.
3. Set N from the user or derive it from the shape. N is total workers, not the cloud concurrency limit.
4. Inherit the parent model unless the host supports model selection and the race explicitly compares models. Name each model-race arm up front.
5. Give each worker its own writable output when it writes. Use a worktree, branch, or `/tmp/swarm-<slug>/worker-<n>/`.

## Phase B: Fan out

Use the host's native subagent tool to start all N workers concurrently. Give each worker the minimum file and tool access its slice needs. If subagents are unavailable or forbidden, run each slice inline and preserve the same result schema.

When a worker needs a non-default branch, name that branch in its brief and use an isolated checkout or worktree.

Every brief stands alone. Include the goal, scope, exact slice or race arm, how to verify, and what to report. Reports use `PASS`, `ISSUES`, or `BLOCKED` with evidence.

If a worker drops out, proceed with N-1 and note it.

## Phase C: Aggregate

Read the terminal results. For coverage, every required slice needs a result. For a race, apply the selection rule declared up front. Use first pass, rank all, or best-of. Do not paste raw worker dumps.

Keep a compact result table, one-line evidenced issues, and explicit gaps or dropouts.

## Phase D: Report

Return one consolidated in-chat report with the table, issue one-liners, gaps or dropouts, and the race rule when used.