feat(graph): seed a child graph agent's state from an agent node's inputs map

Agent nodes gain an optional `inputs:` map of templates resolved against
the parent state and overlaid on the child graph agent's initial_state
before its executor starts. A lone {{key}} keeps the state value's JSON
type; mixed text renders to a string; initial_prompt is still owned by the
dispatcher. run_child_agent and run_active_agent_graph keep their
signatures as wrappers over the new *_with_inputs variants, and
run_agent_for_graph rejects inputs aimed at a config-only agent or
containing initial_prompt.

Design: plans/map-subgraph-branches-design.md §3.12 (C18), task T5.

src/function/agents.rs

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ use indexmap::IndexMap;
 use log::{debug, warn};
 use parking_lot::RwLock;
 use serde_json::{Value, json};
+use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::pin::Pin;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use std::time::Duration;
@@ -535,16 +536,29 @@ pub async fn handle_agent_tool(
 }
 
 pub fn run_child_agent(
-    mut child_ctx: RequestContext,
+    child_ctx: RequestContext,
     initial_input: Input,
     abort_signal: AbortSignal,
+) -> Pin<Box<dyn Future<Output = Result<String>> + Send>> {
+    run_child_agent_with_graph_inputs(child_ctx, initial_input, abort_signal, None)
+}
+
+/// Runs a child agent to completion. When the child is a graph agent,
+/// `graph_inputs` is overlaid on its `initial_state` before the graph
+/// starts; it is ignored for config-only agents.
+fn run_child_agent_with_graph_inputs(
+    mut child_ctx: RequestContext,
+    initial_input: Input,
+    abort_signal: AbortSignal,
+    graph_inputs: Option<HashMap<String, Value>>,
 ) -> Pin<Box<dyn Future<Output = Result<String>> + Send>> {
     Box::pin(async move {
         if graph::active_agent_graph_name(&child_ctx).is_some() {
-            return graph::run_active_agent_graph(
+            return graph::run_active_agent_graph_with_inputs(
                 &mut child_ctx,
                 &initial_input.text(),
                 abort_signal,
+                graph_inputs,
             )
             .await;
         }
@@ -685,10 +699,13 @@ fn effective_max_agent_depth(parent_ctx: &RequestContext) -> usize {
 /// output. This is similar to `handle_spawn` but runs the child agent in the
 /// current task (no tokio::spawn, no supervisor handle registration) so the
 /// graph executor can sequence agent nodes directly.
+/// `graph_inputs` seeds the child's graph state and is only accepted when the
+/// target is a graph agent.
 pub async fn run_agent_for_graph(
     parent_ctx: &mut RequestContext,
     agent_name: &str,
     prompt: &str,
+    graph_inputs: Option<HashMap<String, Value>>,
 ) -> Result<String> {
     let peer_assignment = parent_ctx.peer_assignment.take();
     let assigned_peer = peer_assignment.is_some();
@@ -759,6 +776,19 @@ pub async fn run_agent_for_graph(
     );
     child_ctx.rag = agent.rag();
     child_ctx.agent = Some(agent);
+    if graph_inputs.is_some() && graph::active_agent_graph_name(&child_ctx).is_none() {
+        bail!(
+            "agent '{agent_name}' has no graph.yaml; `inputs:` is only valid on agent nodes that target a graph agent"
+        );
+    }
+    if graph_inputs
+        .as_ref()
+        .is_some_and(|inputs| inputs.contains_key("initial_prompt"))
+    {
+        bail!(
+            "agent '{agent_name}': `inputs.initial_prompt` is reserved (the dispatcher seeds it from `prompt:`)"
+        );
+    }
     if assigned_peer {
         child_ctx.peer_registry = peer_registry.clone();
     }
@@ -786,7 +816,7 @@ pub async fn run_agent_for_graph(
 
     debug!("Spawning agent '{agent_name}' for graph node as '{agent_id}'");
 
-    run_child_agent(child_ctx, input, child_abort).await
+    run_child_agent_with_graph_inputs(child_ctx, input, child_abort, graph_inputs).await
 }
 
 async fn populate_agent_mcp_runtime(ctx: &mut RequestContext, server_ids: &[String]) -> Result<()> {

src/graph/agent.rs

@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@ use super::types::AgentNode;
 use crate::config::RequestContext;
 use crate::function::agents::run_agent_for_graph;
 use anyhow::{Context, Result};
+use log::debug;
 use serde_json::Value;
+use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::time::Duration;
 use tokio::time::timeout;
 
@@ -24,6 +26,13 @@ impl AgentNodeExecutor {
             .interpolate(&node.prompt)
             .with_context(|| format!("Failed to interpolate prompt for agent '{}'", node.agent))?;
 
+        let graph_inputs = resolve_inputs(node, state_manager)?;
+        if let Some(inputs) = &graph_inputs {
+            let mut keys: Vec<&String> = inputs.keys().collect();
+            keys.sort_unstable();
+            debug!("Agent '{}' graph inputs: {keys:?}", node.agent);
+        }
+
         let timeout_dur = Duration::from_secs(node.timeout.unwrap_or(DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_SECS));
 
         // run_agent_for_graph takes the identity off the ctx; keep a handle so
@@ -39,7 +48,7 @@ impl AgentNodeExecutor {
 
         let raw_result = timeout(
             timeout_dur,
-            run_agent_for_graph(parent_ctx, &node.agent, &prompt),
+            run_agent_for_graph(parent_ctx, &node.agent, &prompt, graph_inputs),
         )
         .await;
         if retire_peer_on_return && let Some((registry, id)) = &peer {
@@ -73,6 +82,30 @@ impl AgentNodeExecutor {
     }
 }
 
+/// Resolves each `inputs` template against the parent state. A lone
+/// `{{key}}` yields the state value as-is (numbers, arrays, objects and
+/// `null` all survive); anything else renders to a string. Every key is
+/// strict: a missing reference fails the node before the child starts.
+fn resolve_inputs(
+    node: &AgentNode,
+    state_manager: &StateManager,
+) -> Result<Option<HashMap<String, Value>>> {
+    let Some(inputs) = &node.inputs else {
+        return Ok(None);
+    };
+    let mut resolved = HashMap::with_capacity(inputs.len());
+    for (key, template) in inputs {
+        let value = state_manager.interpolate_raw(template).with_context(|| {
+            format!(
+                "Failed to interpolate inputs.{key} for agent '{}'",
+                node.agent
+            )
+        })?;
+        resolved.insert(key.clone(), value);
+    }
+    Ok(Some(resolved))
+}
+
 fn apply_state_updates(node: &AgentNode, state_manager: &mut StateManager, output: &Value) {
     state_updates::apply(
         state_manager,
@@ -107,6 +140,7 @@ mod tests {
             state_updates: updates,
             output_schema: None,
             timeout: None,
+            inputs: None,
             teammates: false,
         }
     }
@@ -155,6 +189,68 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(!registry.is_finished(&id));
     }
 
+    fn node_with_inputs(pairs: &[(&str, &str)]) -> AgentNode {
+        let mut node = node_with("hi", None);
+        node.inputs = Some(
+            pairs
+                .iter()
+                .map(|(k, v)| ((*k).to_string(), (*v).to_string()))
+                .collect(),
+        );
+        node
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn resolve_inputs_is_none_when_node_has_no_inputs() {
+        let node = node_with("hi", None);
+        let state = manager_with(&[("n", json!(3))]);
+
+        assert_eq!(resolve_inputs(&node, &state).unwrap(), None);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn resolve_inputs_lone_reference_keeps_the_array_value() {
+        let node = node_with_inputs(&[("items", "{{list}}")]);
+        let state = manager_with(&[("list", json!(["a", "b"]))]);
+
+        let inputs = resolve_inputs(&node, &state).unwrap().unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(inputs.get("items"), Some(&json!(["a", "b"])));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn resolve_inputs_mixed_text_renders_to_a_string() {
+        let node = node_with_inputs(&[("label", "n={{n}}")]);
+        let state = manager_with(&[("n", json!(3))]);
+
+        let inputs = resolve_inputs(&node, &state).unwrap().unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(inputs.get("label"), Some(&json!("n=3")));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn resolve_inputs_lone_reference_to_null_yields_null() {
+        let node = node_with_inputs(&[("x", "{{k}}")]);
+        let state = manager_with(&[("k", Value::Null)]);
+
+        let inputs = resolve_inputs(&node, &state).unwrap().unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(inputs.get("x"), Some(&Value::Null));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn resolve_inputs_missing_key_errors_naming_the_input() {
+        let node = node_with_inputs(&[("width", "{{nope}}")]);
+        let state = manager_with(&[]);
+
+        let err = resolve_inputs(&node, &state).expect_err("missing key must fail");
+
+        let chain = format!("{err:#}");
+        assert!(chain.contains("inputs.width"), "{chain}");
+        assert!(chain.contains("for agent 'test_agent'"), "{chain}");
+        assert!(chain.contains("'nope' not found in state"), "{chain}");
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn state_updates_use_output_placeholder() {
         let node = {

src/graph/dispatch.rs

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ use crate::utils::AbortSignal;
 use anyhow::{Context, Result, anyhow};
 use log::info;
 use serde_json::Value;
+use std::collections::HashMap;
 
 pub fn active_agent_graph_name(ctx: &RequestContext) -> Option<String> {
     let name = ctx.agent.as_ref()?.name().to_string();
@@ -15,6 +16,18 @@ pub async fn run_active_agent_graph(
     ctx: &mut RequestContext,
     prompt: &str,
     abort_signal: AbortSignal,
+) -> Result<String> {
+    run_active_agent_graph_with_inputs(ctx, prompt, abort_signal, None).await
+}
+
+/// Runs the active agent's graph with `inputs` overlaid on its
+/// `initial_state` before the executor starts. `None` seeds exactly what
+/// `run_active_agent_graph` does: the prompt under `initial_prompt`.
+pub async fn run_active_agent_graph_with_inputs(
+    ctx: &mut RequestContext,
+    prompt: &str,
+    abort_signal: AbortSignal,
+    inputs: Option<HashMap<String, Value>>,
 ) -> Result<String> {
     let agent_name =
         active_agent_graph_name(ctx).ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("Active agent has no graph.yaml"))?;
@@ -29,9 +42,7 @@ pub async fn run_active_agent_graph(
         .load_from_file(&graph_path)
         .with_context(|| format!("Failed to load graph.yaml for agent '{agent_name}'"))?;
 
-    graph
+    seed_initial_state(&mut graph.initial_state, prompt, inputs);
-        .initial_state
-        .insert("initial_prompt".into(), Value::String(prompt.to_string()));
 
     let executor = GraphExecutor::new(graph, agent_dir);
     let output = executor
@@ -45,3 +56,91 @@ pub async fn run_active_agent_graph(
 
     Ok(output)
 }
+
+/// Seeds a child graph's `initial_state`, later writers winning: the graph's
+/// own YAML defaults, then the caller's `inputs`, then `initial_prompt`,
+/// which the dispatcher always owns.
+pub fn seed_initial_state(
+    initial_state: &mut HashMap<String, Value>,
+    prompt: &str,
+    inputs: Option<HashMap<String, Value>>,
+) {
+    if let Some(inputs) = inputs {
+        initial_state.extend(inputs);
+    }
+    initial_state.insert("initial_prompt".into(), Value::String(prompt.to_string()));
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use serde_json::json;
+
+    fn yaml_defaults() -> HashMap<String, Value> {
+        HashMap::from([
+            ("width".to_string(), json!(4)),
+            ("mode".to_string(), json!("fast")),
+        ])
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn seed_initial_state_without_inputs_only_adds_initial_prompt() {
+        let mut state = yaml_defaults();
+
+        seed_initial_state(&mut state, "hello", None);
+
+        let mut expected = yaml_defaults();
+        expected.insert("initial_prompt".into(), json!("hello"));
+        assert_eq!(state, expected);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn seed_initial_state_without_inputs_on_empty_state_inserts_exactly_one_key() {
+        let mut state = HashMap::new();
+
+        seed_initial_state(&mut state, "hello", None);
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            state,
+            HashMap::from([("initial_prompt".to_string(), json!("hello"))])
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn seed_initial_state_inputs_override_yaml_defaults_and_keep_the_rest() {
+        let mut state = yaml_defaults();
+        let inputs = HashMap::from([
+            ("width".to_string(), json!(2)),
+            ("extra".to_string(), json!(["a", "b"])),
+        ]);
+
+        seed_initial_state(&mut state, "hello", Some(inputs));
+
+        assert_eq!(state.get("width"), Some(&json!(2)));
+        assert_eq!(state.get("mode"), Some(&json!("fast")));
+        assert_eq!(state.get("extra"), Some(&json!(["a", "b"])));
+        assert_eq!(state.get("initial_prompt"), Some(&json!("hello")));
+        assert_eq!(state.len(), 4);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn seed_initial_state_dispatcher_prompt_beats_an_initial_prompt_input() {
+        let mut state = HashMap::from([("initial_prompt".to_string(), json!("from yaml"))]);
+        let inputs = HashMap::from([("initial_prompt".to_string(), json!("from inputs"))]);
+
+        seed_initial_state(&mut state, "from dispatcher", Some(inputs));
+
+        assert_eq!(state.get("initial_prompt"), Some(&json!("from dispatcher")));
+        assert_eq!(state.len(), 1);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn seed_initial_state_null_input_overlays_a_default() {
+        let mut state = yaml_defaults();
+        let inputs = HashMap::from([("width".to_string(), Value::Null)]);
+
+        seed_initial_state(&mut state, "hello", Some(inputs));
+
+        assert_eq!(state.get("width"), Some(&Value::Null));
+    }
+}

src/graph/executor.rs

@@ -660,6 +660,7 @@ mod tests {
                 state_updates: None,
                 output_schema: None,
                 timeout: None,
+                inputs: None,
                 teammates,
             }),
             next: None,

src/graph/map.rs

@@ -421,6 +421,7 @@ mod tests {
             state_updates: None,
             output_schema: None,
             timeout: None,
+            inputs: None,
             teammates,
         })
     }

src/graph/mod.rs

@@ -16,7 +16,9 @@ pub mod types;
 pub mod user_interaction;
 pub mod validator;
 
-pub use dispatch::{active_agent_graph_name, run_active_agent_graph};
+pub use dispatch::{
+    active_agent_graph_name, run_active_agent_graph, run_active_agent_graph_with_inputs,
+};
 pub use executor::GraphExecutor;
 pub use parser::{GraphParser, agent_has_graph};
 use serde_json::Value;

src/graph/types.rs

@@ -240,6 +240,9 @@ pub struct AgentNode {
     #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
     pub timeout: Option<u64>,
 
+    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    pub inputs: Option<HashMap<String, String>>,
+
     #[serde(default)]
     pub teammates: bool,
 }
@@ -634,6 +637,48 @@ nodes:
         }
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn agent_node_inputs_parse_optionally_and_empty_map_is_some() {
+        let yaml = r#"
+name: g
+start: with_inputs
+nodes:
+  with_inputs:
+    id: with_inputs
+    type: agent
+    agent: helper
+    prompt: hi
+    inputs:
+      width: "{{n}}"
+      note: "Repo: {{repo}}"
+    next: without_inputs
+  without_inputs:
+    id: without_inputs
+    type: agent
+    agent: helper
+    prompt: hi
+    next: empty_inputs
+  empty_inputs:
+    id: empty_inputs
+    type: agent
+    agent: helper
+    prompt: hi
+    inputs: {}
+"#;
+        let graph: Graph = serde_yaml::from_str(yaml).unwrap();
+        let inputs_of = |id: &str| match &graph.get_node(id).unwrap().node_type {
+            NodeType::Agent(n) => n.inputs.clone(),
+            _ => panic!("expected Agent variant"),
+        };
+
+        let with = inputs_of("with_inputs").expect("inputs should parse");
+        assert_eq!(with.len(), 2);
+        assert_eq!(with.get("width").map(String::as_str), Some("{{n}}"));
+        assert_eq!(with.get("note").map(String::as_str), Some("Repo: {{repo}}"));
+        assert_eq!(inputs_of("without_inputs"), None);
+        assert_eq!(inputs_of("empty_inputs"), Some(HashMap::new()));
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn deserializes_mcp_tools_at_graph_and_node_level() {
         let yaml = r#"

src/graph/validator.rs

@@ -1790,6 +1790,7 @@ mod tests {
                 state_updates: None,
                 output_schema: None,
                 timeout: None,
+                inputs: None,
                 teammates: false,
             }),
             next: next.map(NextTargets::from),