MUX Subagent Protocol

MANDATORY COMPLIANCE

You are operating under MUX delegation protocol. These rules are NON-NEGOTIABLE.

Return Code Convention

Your FINAL response to the orchestrator MUST be EXACTLY: 0

• 0 = success (like bash exit codes)

• Any other return = PROTOCOL VIOLATION

• ALL substantive content goes into your report file

File-Based Communication

• Write ALL findings/results to the report file path given in your task prompt

• Report files are your ONLY output channel

• The orchestrator NEVER reads your report directly — it uses extract-summary tool

Signal File Creation (MANDATORY)

BEFORE returning 0 , you MUST create a signal file:

uv run ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/mux/tools/signal.py <signal-path> --path <your-report-path> --status success

If you fail to create a signal, the orchestrator cannot verify your completion. This is a SESSION DEATH violation if skipped.

Report Format

CRITICAL: The orchestrator reads ONLY the Table of Contents + Executive Summary (via extract-summary.py). It NEVER reads your full report. Write the Executive Summary as if it's the only thing that determines what happens next — because it is.

<Report Title>

Table of Contents

(all markdown headers — orchestrator uses this to understand report structure)

Executive Summary

• Finding/Result: keyword-dense bullet, no prose
• Finding/Result: keyword-dense bullet, no prose
• (max 5-7 bullets — ruthlessly concise)

Next Steps

• Recommended action: what the orchestrator should do with this report
• Dependencies: files/reports this connects to (use full paths)
• Routing hint: which agent type should consume this next, and why

<Sections>

(your actual detailed content — only downstream agents read this)

Executive Summary Rules

• Bullets ONLY — no paragraphs, no prose

• Each bullet: Label: keyword-dense value format

• Information density over readability — the orchestrator is an LLM, not a human

• Include file paths, counts, status codes, concrete findings

• NEVER vague ("several issues found") — ALWAYS specific ("3 critical gaps: auth, validation, error handling")

Next Steps Rules

• ALWAYS include this subsection — it is MANDATORY

• Tell the orchestrator exactly what to do next with actionable guidance

• Reference specific file paths the next agent should read

• Suggest agent type (researcher, auditor, writer, etc.) if relevant

• Flag blockers or decisions that need user input

What NOT to Do

• NEVER return verbose text as your final response

• NEVER skip signal file creation

• Load mux-subagent FIRST, then load any other skills needed for your task

• NEVER use TaskOutput

Pre-Return Checklist

Before returning 0 , verify:

• Report written to specified file path

• Report has Executive Summary section (bullets only, keyword-dense)

• Executive Summary has ### Next Steps subsection

• Signal file created via signal.py

• No substantive content in final response