Coding CLI Delegation

When the Manager assigns you a task with a "## Coding CLI Mode" section in spec.md, you do not write the code yourself. Instead, you:

1. Understand the task deeply
2. Prepare the workspace
3. Generate a precise coding prompt
4. Delegate execution to the Manager's CLI tool
5. Review the result

When to Use This Skill

Check spec.md for the task. If it contains ## Coding CLI Mode, use this skill for all code changes.

Step-by-Step Workflow

1. Prepare the Workspace

Set up the workspace directory under the shared filesystem:

workspace="/root/hiclaw-fs/shared/tasks/{task-id}/workspace"
mkdir -p "$workspace"

# Clone a repo (example)
git clone <repo-url> "$workspace"

# Or copy existing code
cp -r /path/to/source "$workspace/"

Constraint: The workspace path must be under /root/hiclaw-fs/. The Manager accesses the same path via MinIO mirror.

2. Push Workspace to MinIO

Before sending the coding-request, push all workspace files so the Manager can access them:

mc mirror "/root/hiclaw-fs/shared/tasks/{task-id}/workspace/" \
  ${HICLAW_STORAGE_PREFIX}/shared/tasks/{task-id}/workspace/

2b. Check for Processing Marker

Before modifying the workspace or sending a coding-request, check if the task directory is being processed:

# Sync latest state from MinIO
mc mirror "${HICLAW_STORAGE_PREFIX}/shared/tasks/{task-id}/" \
  "/root/hiclaw-fs/shared/tasks/{task-id}/"

# Check for processing marker
if [ -f "/root/hiclaw-fs/shared/tasks/{task-id}/.processing" ]; then
    echo "Task directory is being processed. Wait for manager to complete."
    # Do NOT send coding-request yet; wait and retry
fi

If a .processing marker exists, wait for the Manager to complete their operation before sending your request.

3. Generate a High-Quality Prompt

A good prompt includes:

• Target files: exact paths and relevant line numbers
• Specific changes: describe what to change, not just why
• Context: existing code structure, dependencies, interfaces
• Acceptance criteria: how to verify the change is correct
• Constraints: languages, frameworks, style conventions, things NOT to change

Example of a good prompt:

In the file `src/server/handlers/auth.go`, implement the `RefreshToken` function (currently a stub at line 142).

Requirements:
- Validate the incoming refresh_token from the request body (field name: "refresh_token")
- Look up the token in the database using `db.FindRefreshToken(ctx, token)` (already imported)
- If valid, generate a new access token with `auth.GenerateAccessToken(userID)` and return it as JSON: {"access_token": "<token>", "expires_in": 3600}
- If invalid or expired, return HTTP 401 with body: {"error": "invalid_refresh_token"}
- Follow the existing error handling pattern used in `LoginHandler` (line 89)

Do not change any other files.

Signs of a weak prompt (avoid):

• "Fix the auth system" (too vague)
• "Improve performance" (no specific target)
• "Add tests" (no specification of what to test or where)

4. Send coding-request: to Manager

Send in your Worker Room (or Project Room, wherever the task was assigned):

@manager:DOMAIN task-{task-id} coding-request:
workspace: /root/hiclaw-fs/shared/tasks/{task-id}/workspace
---PROMPT---
{your detailed coding prompt here}
---END---

Note: workspace can be any subdirectory under /root/hiclaw-fs/, e.g. a cloned git repo:

workspace: /root/hiclaw-fs/shared/tasks/{task-id}/workspace/my-repo

5. Wait for Manager's Response

The Manager will run the CLI tool and respond with either:

Success — coding-result:

@{your-name}:DOMAIN task-{task-id} coding-result:
CLI 工具已完成编码。请同步工作目录并 review 变更...

Failure — coding-failed:

@{your-name}:DOMAIN task-{task-id} coding-failed:
CLI 工具执行失败...你生成的提示词已保存于：/root/hiclaw-fs/shared/tasks/{task-id}/coding-prompts/

6a. On coding-result:

# Sync changes from MinIO
hiclaw-sync

# Review what changed
cd /root/hiclaw-fs/shared/tasks/{task-id}/workspace
git diff  # if it's a git repo
# or: check coding-cli-logs/ for CLI output

Review the changes:

• Verify they match the task requirements
• Check for obvious errors or unintended modifications
• Run tests if applicable

Report to Manager:

@manager:DOMAIN task-{task-id} completed:
Changes reviewed and verified. {Brief summary of what was implemented.}

6b. On coding-failed:

Implement the coding task yourself using your normal approach. When done, report:

@manager:DOMAIN task-{task-id} completed:
Implemented manually (CLI delegation failed). {Brief summary.}

Multiple Rounds

If one CLI delegation doesn't fully complete the task (e.g., the first run fixed the bug but tests still fail), you can send another coding-request: with a follow-up prompt. Sync the workspace first to get the latest state before generating the next prompt.

Tips for Better Prompts

• Be surgical: "change line 47 from X to Y" beats "fix the login function"
• Provide imports: if the change requires new imports, specify them
• Show the pattern: reference existing code in the same file as the style guide
• Limit scope: tell the CLI "only modify file X, do not change tests or other files"
• Verify command: include how to check correctness, e.g. "run go test ./... to verify"

Source: agentscope-ai/HiClaw — distributed by TomeVault.