feat: agenthub work — auto-claim daemon (TSK-0018)

The missing autonomy step: an implementer no longer needs a human prompt
per task. `agenthub work --agent <name> --role <role>` announces, then:
  - claims an already-open task addressed to the agent immediately, or
  - blocks on the SSE stream until one appears (newly delegated OR
    reopened after review), then claims + prints it.

Loop: work → implement → `task review` → work. New/reopened tasks are
picked up automatically; run it in the background so the wait doesn't tie
up the turn.

- src/cli/commands/start.ts: extracted announceAgent / findAddressedOpenTask
  / claimAndPrintTask (shared by start + work); addressed-match now also
  covers assignedTo (reopened tasks coming back for rework).
- src/cli/commands/work.ts: wait-and-claim via /events, with a gap-close
  re-check after subscribing and an optional --timeout.
- index.ts: `agenthub work` command.
- templates: implementer guides lead with `work` (the autonomous loop),
  keep `start` as the one-shot.
- tests: immediate claim (local) + wait-then-claim (server SSE). 119/119.

Bump 0.3.1 -> 0.4.0.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>

package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "agenthub",
-  "version": "0.3.1",
+  "version": "0.4.0",
   "description": "Local coordination layer for AI coding agents",
   "type": "module",
   "main": "./dist/index.js",

src/cli/commands/start.ts

@@ -6,39 +6,54 @@ import {
 } from '../../core/services/taskService.js';
 import { listHandoffs as svcListHandoffs, getHandoff as svcGetHandoff } from '../../core/services/handoffService.js';
 
-/**
+export interface AgentContext {
- * `agenthub start --agent <name> --role <role>` — one-command onboarding for an
- * agent. Announces presence, claims the open task addressed to this agent, and
- * prints the task body + its handoff + the next step, so the agent can begin
- * immediately without the human stitching commands together.
- *
- * "Addressed to <agent>" = task title starts with "<agent>:" (the delegation
- * convention) OR a handoff for that task has toAgent === <agent>.
- */
-export async function startAgent(opts: {
   serverUrl?: string;
   projectCwd: string;
   agent: string;
   role: string;
-}): Promise<void> {
+}
-  const { serverUrl, projectCwd, agent, role } = opts;
-  const a = agent.toLowerCase();
 
-  // 1. Announce (presence is best-effort — never block onboarding on it).
+interface Listed {
+  id: string;
+  title?: string;
+  status?: string;
+  role?: string;
+  taskId?: string;
+  toAgent?: string;
+  assignedTo?: string;
+}
+
+/** Announce presence (best-effort) and print the joined line. */
+export async function announceAgent(serverUrl: string | undefined, agent: string, role: string): Promise<void> {
   if (serverUrl) {
     try {
       await remoteClient.announce(serverUrl, agent, role);
     } catch {
-      /* ignore */
+      /* presence is best-effort */
     }
   }
   console.log(`AgentHub: ${agent} joined (${role})`);
+}
 
-  // 2. Gather open role tasks + handoffs (handoffs carry taskId + toAgent).
+async function listOpenRoleTasks(ctx: AgentContext): Promise<Listed[]> {
-  const tasks = serverUrl
+  return ctx.serverUrl
-    ? await remoteClient.listTasks(serverUrl, { role, status: 'open' })
+    ? await remoteClient.listTasks(ctx.serverUrl, { role: ctx.role, status: 'open' })
-    : svcListTasks(projectCwd, { role, status: 'open' });
+    : svcListTasks(ctx.projectCwd, { role: ctx.role, status: 'open' });
-  const handoffs = serverUrl ? await remoteClient.listHandoffs(serverUrl) : svcListHandoffs(projectCwd);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Find the open task addressed to this agent. "Addressed" = task title starts
+ * with "<agent>:" (delegation convention), OR a handoff for the task has
+ * toAgent === <agent>, OR the task is already assignedTo this agent (a reopened
+ * task that came back for rework). Returns the task + the handoff list (so the
+ * caller can print the matching handoff without re-fetching).
+ */
+export async function findAddressedOpenTask(
+  ctx: AgentContext,
+): Promise<{ task: Listed; handoffs: Listed[] } | undefined> {
+  const a = ctx.agent.toLowerCase();
+  const tasks = await listOpenRoleTasks(ctx);
+  const handoffs = ctx.serverUrl ? await remoteClient.listHandoffs(ctx.serverUrl) : svcListHandoffs(ctx.projectCwd);
 
   const addressedByHandoff = new Set(
     handoffs
@@ -46,30 +61,24 @@ export async function startAgent(opts: {
       .map((h) => String(h.taskId)),
   );
   const mine = tasks.filter(
-    (t) => (t.title ?? '').toLowerCase().startsWith(`${a}:`) || addressedByHandoff.has(t.id),
+    (t) =>
+      (t.title ?? '').toLowerCase().startsWith(`${a}:`) ||
+      addressedByHandoff.has(t.id) ||
+      (t.assignedTo && String(t.assignedTo).toLowerCase() === a),
   );
 
-  // 3. Nothing addressed → guide the agent instead of guessing.
+  if (mine.length === 0) return undefined;
-  if (mine.length === 0) {
+  return { task: mine[0], handoffs };
-    if (tasks.length === 0) {
+}
-      console.log(`AgentHub: no open ${role} tasks — waiting for the architect to delegate.`);
-    } else {
-      console.log(`AgentHub: no task addressed to ${agent}. Open ${role} tasks:`);
-      for (const t of tasks) console.log(`  ${t.id}  ${t.title ?? ''}`);
-      console.log(`→ claim one yourself:  agenthub task claim <id> --agent ${agent}`);
-    }
-    return;
-  }
 
-  // 4. Claim the addressed task.
+/** Claim the task and print its body + handoff + the review-gate next step. */
-  const task = mine[0];
+export async function claimAndPrintTask(ctx: AgentContext, task: Listed, handoffs: Listed[]): Promise<void> {
-  if (serverUrl) await remoteClient.claimTask(serverUrl, task.id, agent);
+  if (ctx.serverUrl) await remoteClient.claimTask(ctx.serverUrl, task.id, ctx.agent);
-  else svcClaimTask(projectCwd, task.id, agent);
+  else svcClaimTask(ctx.projectCwd, task.id, ctx.agent);
   console.log(`AgentHub: Task claimed   ${task.id}  ${task.title ?? ''}`);
 
-  // 5. Print the task body.
   try {
-    const detail = serverUrl ? await remoteClient.getTask(serverUrl, task.id) : svcGetTask(projectCwd, task.id);
+    const detail = ctx.serverUrl ? await remoteClient.getTask(ctx.serverUrl, task.id) : svcGetTask(ctx.projectCwd, task.id);
     if (detail.body && detail.body.trim()) {
       console.log(`\n─ Task ${task.id} ──────────────`);
       console.log(detail.body.trim());
@@ -78,11 +87,10 @@ export async function startAgent(opts: {
     /* body is optional */
   }
 
-  // 6. Print the handoff for this task (scope + acceptance criteria).
   const hof = handoffs.find((h) => h.taskId === task.id);
   if (hof) {
     try {
-      const hd = serverUrl ? await remoteClient.getHandoff(serverUrl, hof.id) : svcGetHandoff(projectCwd, hof.id);
+      const hd = ctx.serverUrl ? await remoteClient.getHandoff(ctx.serverUrl, hof.id) : svcGetHandoff(ctx.projectCwd, hof.id);
       console.log(`\n─ Handoff ${hof.id} ──────────────`);
       console.log(hd.handoff.summary);
       if (hd.body && hd.body.trim()) console.log(hd.body.trim());
@@ -91,9 +99,32 @@ export async function startAgent(opts: {
     }
   }
 
-  // 7. Next steps — the review gate, spelled out.
   console.log(`\n─ Next ──────────────`);
   console.log(`Implement the task, then submit for review:  agenthub task review ${task.id}`);
   console.log(`Report what you did:  agenthub memory add --title "${task.id} result" --category implementation --content "…"`);
   console.log(`Only the architect closes a task (\`done\`). If reopened, address the feedback and review again.`);
 }
+
+/**
+ * `agenthub start --agent <name> --role <role>` — one-shot onboarding. Announce,
+ * claim the addressed task and print it; if none is addressed, list the open
+ * role tasks so the agent can pick one.
+ */
+export async function startAgent(ctx: AgentContext): Promise<void> {
+  await announceAgent(ctx.serverUrl, ctx.agent, ctx.role);
+
+  const found = await findAddressedOpenTask(ctx);
+  if (found) {
+    await claimAndPrintTask(ctx, found.task, found.handoffs);
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const tasks = await listOpenRoleTasks(ctx);
+  if (tasks.length === 0) {
+    console.log(`AgentHub: no open ${ctx.role} tasks — waiting for the architect to delegate.`);
+  } else {
+    console.log(`AgentHub: no task addressed to ${ctx.agent}. Open ${ctx.role} tasks:`);
+    for (const t of tasks) console.log(`  ${t.id}  ${t.title ?? ''}`);
+    console.log(`→ claim one yourself:  agenthub task claim <id> --agent ${ctx.agent}`);
+  }
+}

src/cli/commands/work.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+import { parseSSEBuffer } from './watch.js';
+import { announceAgent, findAddressedOpenTask, claimAndPrintTask, type AgentContext } from './start.js';
+
+/**
+ * `agenthub work --agent <name> --role <role>` — the auto-claim primitive
+ * (TSK-0018). Announce, then:
+ *   - if a task addressed to this agent is already open → claim + print it now;
+ *   - otherwise block on the SSE stream until one appears (newly created OR
+ *     reopened after review), then claim + print it.
+ *
+ * Returns after claiming exactly one task (or on timeout). An agent loops it:
+ * work → implement → `task review` → work → … so new/reopened tasks are picked
+ * up automatically without a human prompt. Best run in the background so the
+ * wait doesn't tie up the foreground.
+ */
+export async function workAgent(ctx: AgentContext & { timeoutSec?: number }): Promise<void> {
+  await announceAgent(ctx.serverUrl, ctx.agent, ctx.role);
+
+  // Already-waiting task?
+  const found = await findAddressedOpenTask(ctx);
+  if (found) {
+    await claimAndPrintTask(ctx, found.task, found.handoffs);
+    return;
+  }
+
+  if (!ctx.serverUrl) {
+    console.log(`AgentHub: no task for ${ctx.agent}, and no server to wait on. Re-run when a task is delegated.`);
+    return;
+  }
+
+  console.log(
+    `AgentHub: waiting for a task addressed to ${ctx.agent}…${ctx.timeoutSec ? ` (timeout ${ctx.timeoutSec}s)` : ''}`,
+  );
+  await waitAndClaim(ctx);
+}
+
+function waitAndClaim(ctx: AgentContext & { timeoutSec?: number }): Promise<void> {
+  const serverUrl = ctx.serverUrl as string;
+  return new Promise((resolve) => {
+    const controller = new AbortController();
+    let settled = false;
+    const finish = () => {
+      if (settled) return;
+      settled = true;
+      try {
+        controller.abort();
+      } catch {
+        /* already aborted */
+      }
+      resolve();
+    };
+
+    const timer = ctx.timeoutSec
+      ? setTimeout(() => {
+          console.log(`AgentHub: no task for ${ctx.agent} after ${ctx.timeoutSec}s — exiting.`);
+          finish();
+        }, ctx.timeoutSec * 1000)
+      : undefined;
+
+    // Re-query then claim if a task addressed to us is now open. Returns true
+    // if a task was claimed (so the caller can stop).
+    const tryClaim = async (): Promise<boolean> => {
+      const f = await findAddressedOpenTask(ctx);
+      if (!f) return false;
+      if (timer) clearTimeout(timer);
+      await claimAndPrintTask(ctx, f.task, f.handoffs);
+      finish();
+      return true;
+    };
+
+    fetch(`${serverUrl}/events`, { signal: controller.signal, headers: { Accept: 'text/event-stream' } })
+      .then(async (res) => {
+        if (!res.body) {
+          if (timer) clearTimeout(timer);
+          finish();
+          return;
+        }
+        // Close the gap: a task may have appeared between the initial check and
+        // this subscription — check once more now that we're listening.
+        if (await tryClaim()) return;
+
+        const reader = res.body.getReader();
+        const decoder = new TextDecoder();
+        let buffer = '';
+        while (!settled) {
+          let done: boolean;
+          let value: Uint8Array | undefined;
+          try {
+            ({ done, value } = await reader.read());
+          } catch {
+            break; // aborted or connection closed
+          }
+          if (done) break;
+          if (value) buffer += decoder.decode(value, { stream: true });
+
+          const { events, remaining } = parseSSEBuffer(buffer);
+          buffer = remaining;
+          // Any task event may mean a task addressed to us just opened/reopened.
+          if (events.some((e) => e.type === 'task')) {
+            if (await tryClaim()) return;
+          }
+        }
+        if (timer) clearTimeout(timer);
+        finish();
+      })
+      .catch((err: unknown) => {
+        if (!(err instanceof Error && err.name === 'AbortError')) {
+          console.error(`AgentHub: wait failed: ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err)}`);
+        }
+        if (timer) clearTimeout(timer);
+        finish();
+      });
+  });
+}

src/cli/index.ts

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { serverStart } from './commands/server.js';
 import { update } from './commands/update.js';
 import { watchEvents } from './commands/watch.js';
 import { startAgent } from './commands/start.js';
+import { workAgent } from './commands/work.js';
 import { loadConfig, saveConfig } from '../core/config.js';
 import { findProjectRoot } from '../core/paths.js';
 import { discoverServer } from '../discovery.js';
@@ -113,7 +114,7 @@ async function runRemote(serverUrl: string, fn: () => Promise<void>): Promise<vo
 export function createProgram(cwd: string): Command {
   const program = new Command('agenthub')
     .description('Local coordination layer for AI coding agents')
-    .version('0.3.1')
+    .version('0.4.0')
     .option('--server <url>', 'AgentHub server URL (env: AGENTHUB_SERVER)');
 
   program
@@ -500,6 +501,24 @@ export function createProgram(cwd: string): Command {
       }
     });
 
+  // ─── work (auto-claim) ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+  program
+    .command('work')
+    .description('Wait for a task addressed to you, claim it, and print it (auto-claim loop)')
+    .requiredOption('--agent <name>', 'Agent name')
+    .option('--role <role>', 'Role (default: implementer)', 'implementer')
+    .option('--timeout <sec>', 'Stop waiting after N seconds (default: wait indefinitely)')
+    .action(async (options) => {
+      const { serverUrl, projectCwd } = await resolveContext(program, cwd);
+      const timeoutSec = options.timeout != null ? Number(options.timeout) : undefined;
+      const ctx = { serverUrl, projectCwd, agent: options.agent, role: options.role, timeoutSec };
+      if (serverUrl) {
+        await runRemote(serverUrl, () => workAgent(ctx));
+      } else {
+        await workAgent(ctx);
+      }
+    });
+
   // ─── watch ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
   program
     .command('watch')

src/core/templates.ts

@@ -46,19 +46,23 @@ function implementerMd(cliName: string, agentName: string, roles: string): strin
 **On your first turn, RUN this and follow its output — do not just summarize:**
 
 \`\`\`
-agenthub start --agent ${agentName} --role implementer
+agenthub work --agent ${agentName} --role implementer
 \`\`\`
 
-That one command announces you, claims the task addressed to you, and prints the
+\`work\` waits until a task addressed to you is ready (newly delegated OR reopened
-task + its handoff. Then:
+after review), claims it, and prints the task + its handoff. Then:
 
 1. Implement the task.
 2. **Submit for review (NOT done):**  \`agenthub task review <id>\`
    and report:  \`agenthub memory add --title "<id> result" --category implementation
    --content "<what you did / how to verify it>"\`
-3. Wait for the architect's verdict. If the task is **reopened** (status back to
+3. **Run \`agenthub work --agent ${agentName} --role implementer\` again** — it blocks
-   \`open\`), read the new feedback handoff, address it, and \`agenthub task review <id>\`
+   until your next task (or a reopened one) is ready, then auto-claims it. This is
-   again.
+   the loop: work → implement → review → work. Run it in the background so the wait
+   doesn't tie up your turn.
+
+(\`agenthub start --agent ${agentName} --role implementer\` is the one-shot variant:
+it claims an already-open task but does not wait.)
 
 ⚠️ NEVER run \`agenthub task done\` — only the architect approves and closes tasks.
 You drive the AgentHub CLI yourself; the human does not type these commands for you.

tests/work.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+/**
+ * Tests for `agenthub work` — the auto-claim primitive (TSK-0018).
+ *   - immediate: claims an already-open addressed task without waiting (local).
+ *   - wait: blocks on SSE until a matching task is created, then claims it.
+ */
+import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, afterEach } from 'vitest';
+import { mkdtempSync, rmSync } from 'fs';
+import { tmpdir } from 'os';
+import { join } from 'path';
+import { init } from '../src/cli/commands/init.js';
+import { workAgent } from '../src/cli/commands/work.js';
+import { startServer } from '../src/server/index.js';
+import { createTask, getTask } from '../src/core/services/taskService.js';
+import type { Task } from '../src/core/schema.js';
+
+describe('agenthub work — immediate claim (local)', () => {
+  let cwd: string;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    cwd = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'ah-work-'));
+    init(cwd, { projectName: 'work-test', yes: true });
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    rmSync(cwd, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+
+  it('claims an already-open addressed task without waiting', async () => {
+    const mine = createTask(cwd, { title: 'kimi: already open', role: 'implementer' });
+
+    await workAgent({ projectCwd: cwd, agent: 'kimi', role: 'implementer', timeoutSec: 2 });
+
+    const { task } = getTask(cwd, mine.id);
+    expect(task.status).toBe('in_progress');
+    expect(task.assignedTo).toBe('kimi');
+  }, 4000);
+});
+
+describe('agenthub work — wait then auto-claim (server SSE)', () => {
+  let cwd: string;
+  let server: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof startServer>>;
+
+  beforeEach(async () => {
+    cwd = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'ah-work-wait-'));
+    init(cwd, { projectName: 'work-wait', yes: true });
+    server = await startServer(cwd, { host: '127.0.0.1', port: 0 });
+  });
+
+  afterEach(async () => {
+    await server.app.close();
+    rmSync(cwd, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+
+  it('claims a task created AFTER work starts waiting', async () => {
+    // Start waiting; do NOT await yet — no task is addressed to kimi initially.
+    const workDone = workAgent({
+      serverUrl: server.url,
+      projectCwd: cwd,
+      agent: 'kimi',
+      role: 'implementer',
+      timeoutSec: 3,
+    });
+
+    // Give work a moment to reach the SSE wait, then delegate a task to kimi.
+    await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 200));
+    await fetch(`${server.url}/tasks`, {
+      method: 'POST',
+      headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+      body: JSON.stringify({ title: 'kimi: delegated after wait', role: 'implementer' }),
+    });
+
+    await workDone; // resolves once work has claimed the task (or on timeout)
+
+    const tasks = (await fetch(`${server.url}/tasks`).then((r) => r.json())) as Task[];
+    const mine = tasks.find((t) => (t.title ?? '').startsWith('kimi:'));
+    expect(mine).toBeDefined();
+    expect(mine?.status).toBe('in_progress');
+    expect(mine?.assignedTo).toBe('kimi');
+  }, 6000);
+});