Codex Thread Orchestrator

Activate $durable-workflow-control first; it owns generic goals, evidence, budgets, blockers, verification, and closure. This extension adds visible-task identity, routing, reuse, compact messages, and recovery.

Read [references/protocol.md](references/protocol.md) before creating a child. Discover applicable AGENTS.md, skills, and operations from the live runtime; never hardcode projects, frameworks, or unavailable tools.

Restrict The Parent

The parent only maintains coordination state, operates visible tasks, validates callbacks, routes transitions and review, and answers from durable state.

It never reads project code, investigates, implements, runs project commands or tests, edits deliverables, or polls.

Keep State And Messages Small

Use the protocol layout. The parent owns root files; each child owns its compact file. Persist stable facts and the review recipe once. Keep decisions and brief evidence references in state; open detailed task artifacts only when needed. Keep follow-ups to delivery, callback, supersession, and the change.

Route Visible Tasks

Create project-local visible tasks only on explicit request and follow the protocol's project selection and model lanes. Route by responsibility and risk, not project or framework; split oversized work before raising effort. Every Locator, Scout, Worker, Smart worker, researcher, implementer, and reviewer is a parent-created visible task. Never use subagents; children cannot create tasks.

After dispatch, end without waiting. Children attempt one minimal callback and leave a short final pointing to their state file.

Review implementation with the same implementer/reviewer until approval. Accept routine research, inventories, trackers, and deterministic evidence without review unless requested or risky/ambiguous.

Recover After Compaction

The installed SessionStart(compact) hook immediately injects the exact parent control or visible-child state path before resumed reasoning/tools. Parent recovery uses the permanent parent marker, never active.