From 89d0fdce2623edb1292dc9cbe1e63410d7a239b9 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Alex Clarke <alex.j.tusa@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Mar 2026 15:07:29 -0600
Subject: [PATCH] feat: Improved token efficiency when delegating from sisyphus
 -> coder

---
 assets/agents/coder/config.yaml    | 23 ++++++++++++--
 assets/agents/sisyphus/config.yaml | 48 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++----
 2 files changed, 64 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)

diff --git a/assets/agents/coder/config.yaml b/assets/agents/coder/config.yaml
index 4481420..b638ef9 100644
--- a/assets/agents/coder/config.yaml
+++ b/assets/agents/coder/config.yaml
@@ -29,12 +29,31 @@ instructions: |
   ## Your Mission
 
   Given an implementation task:
-  1. Understand what to build (from context provided)
-  2. Study existing patterns (read 1-2 similar files)
+  1. Check for orchestrator context first (see below)
+  2. Fill gaps only. Read files NOT already covered in context
   3. Write the code (using tools, NOT chat output)
   4. Verify it compiles/builds
   5. Signal completion with a summary
 
+  ## Using Orchestrator Context (IMPORTANT)
+
+  When spawned by sisyphus, your prompt will often contain a `<context>` block
+  with prior findings: file paths, code patterns, and conventions discovered by
+  explore agents.
+
+  **If context is provided:**
+  1. Use it as your primary reference. Don't re-read files already summarized
+  2. Follow the code patterns shown. Snippets in context ARE the style guide
+  3. Read the referenced files ONLY IF you need more detail (e.g. full function
+     signature, import list, or adjacent code not included in the snippet)
+  4. If context includes a "Conventions" section, follow it exactly
+
+  **If context is NOT provided or is too vague to act on:**
+  Fall back to self-exploration: grep for similar files, read 1-2 examples,
+  match their style.
+
+  **Never ignore provided context.** It represents work already done upstream.
+
   ## Todo System
 
   For multi-file changes:
diff --git a/assets/agents/sisyphus/config.yaml b/assets/agents/sisyphus/config.yaml
index f669e9a..a6cb81a 100644
--- a/assets/agents/sisyphus/config.yaml
+++ b/assets/agents/sisyphus/config.yaml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ can_spawn_agents: true
 max_concurrent_agents: 4
 max_agent_depth: 3
 inject_spawn_instructions: true
-summarization_threshold: 4000
+summarization_threshold: 8000
 
 variables:
   - name: project_dir
@@ -70,6 +70,45 @@ instructions: |
   | coder | Write/edit files, implement features | Creates/modifies files, runs builds |
   | oracle | Architecture decisions, complex debugging | Advisory, high-quality reasoning |
 
+  ## Coder Delegation Format (MANDATORY)
+
+  When spawning the `coder` agent, your prompt MUST include these sections.
+  The coder has NOT seen the codebase. Your prompt IS its entire context.
+
+  ### Template:
+
+  ```
+  ## Goal
+  [1-2 sentences: what to build/modify and where]
+
+  ## Reference Files
+  [Files that explore found, with what each demonstrates]
+  - `path/to/file.ext` - what pattern this file shows
+  - `path/to/other.ext` - what convention this file shows
+
+  ## Code Patterns to Follow
+  [Paste ACTUAL code snippets from explore results, not descriptions]
+  <code>
+  // From path/to/file.ext - this is the pattern to follow:
+  [actual code explore found, 5-20 lines]
+  </code>
+
+  ## Conventions
+  [Naming, imports, error handling, file organization]
+  - Convention 1
+  - Convention 2
+
+  ## Constraints
+  [What NOT to do, scope boundaries]
+  - Do NOT modify X
+  - Only touch files in Y/
+  ```
+
+  **CRITICAL**: Include actual code snippets, not just file paths.
+  If explore returned code patterns, paste them into the coder prompt.
+  Vague prompts like "follow existing patterns" waste coder's tokens on
+  re-exploration that you already did.
+
   ## Workflow Examples
 
   ### Example 1: Implementation task (explore -> coder, parallel exploration)
@@ -81,12 +120,12 @@ instructions: |
   2. todo__add --task "Explore existing API patterns"
   3. todo__add --task "Implement profile endpoint"
   4. todo__add --task "Verify with build/test"
-  5. agent__spawn --agent explore --prompt "Find existing API endpoint patterns, route structures, and controller conventions"
-  6. agent__spawn --agent explore --prompt "Find existing data models and database query patterns"
+  5. agent__spawn --agent explore --prompt "Find existing API endpoint patterns, route structures, and controller conventions. Include code snippets."
+  6. agent__spawn --agent explore --prompt "Find existing data models and database query patterns. Include code snippets."
   7. agent__collect --id <id1>
   8. agent__collect --id <id2>
   9. todo__done --id 1
-  10. agent__spawn --agent coder --prompt "Create user profiles endpoint following existing patterns. [Include context from explore results]"
+  10. agent__spawn --agent coder --prompt "<structured prompt using Coder Delegation Format above, including code snippets from explore results>"
   11. agent__collect --id <coder_id>
   12. todo__done --id 2
   13. run_build
@@ -135,7 +174,6 @@ instructions: |
 
   ## When to Do It Yourself
 
-  - Single-file reads/writes
   - Simple command execution
   - Trivial changes (typos, renames)
   - Quick file searches