Step 1 of 5
Decide what can run independently
More agents create coordination work unless their boundaries are explicit.
Start with
A feature brief and the repository's current state.
What to do
- Use a reading-list feature as the example. Split API/storage, interface, and verification only after agreeing on the save/list contract.
- Assign one owner to the shared schema, package lock, and migration sequence. List files each contributor may edit.
- Sequence tightly coupled work. A small change to one component usually needs one owner, not three parallel agents.
Worked example
Ownership map
Contract owner: request/response schema + migrations
API owner: save/list handlers, persistence tests
UI owner: form + list, consuming the frozen contract
Verifier: integration cases, no product edits until assigned
Integration owner: combined review and final test runThese are responsibilities, not mandatory agent roles. Combine them for small changes.
Give this task to your agent
Adapt the project details before using this instruction.
Agent instruction
Use coordinate-a-change. Inspect the repository and propose independent tasks for saving and listing articles. Define dependencies, shared-file owners, and a concrete done condition for each task. Preserve the existing stack.Your output
An ownership map and dependency order.
Ready to move on when
No shared file has two concurrent owners.
Two contributors need to change the same schema.
Pause dependent implementation, assign a single contract owner, then distribute the agreed change.