Mesh Builder

Mesh Builder

Build meshes (agent workflows) for TX V4.

Quick Start

# Test prompt output before deploying
tx prompt <mesh> <agent>              # View built prompt with injected protocol
tx prompt narrative-engine narrator   # Example
tx prompt dev --raw                   # Raw output, no metadata

Documentation

Minimal Config

mesh: example
description: "What this mesh does"

agents:
  - name: worker
    model: sonnet       # opus | sonnet | haiku
    prompt: prompt.md

entry_point: worker

Writing Prompts

Focus on workflow only.

System Auto-Injects (DO NOT WRITE IN PROMPTS):

• ❌ Message protocol (frontmatter schema, message types, paths format)
• ❌ Routing instructions (how to write messages to other agents)
• ❌ Rearmatter format (success_signal, grade, confidence fields)
• ❌ Workspace structure and paths (auto-injected from config.yaml)
• ❌ Message file naming conventions
• ❌ Tool availability and usage instructions (system provides)

Write ONLY:

• ✅ Agent role and mandate
• ✅ Workflow steps (what to do, when)
• ✅ Decision trees and logic
• ✅ Domain-specific guidance
• ✅ Quality gates and success criteria

# {Agent Name}

You are the {role} agent.

## Workflow
1. Read incoming task
2. {Work steps}
3. Signal completion when finished

Multi-Agent Routing

routing:
  agent-a:
    complete:
      agent-b: "Handoff reason"
    blocked:
      core: "Need intervention"

See docs/​mesh-config.md for full routing reference.

Common Patterns

Automatic Session persistence: continuation: true or continuation: [agent1, agent2]

MCP tools only: toolRestriction: mcp-only

Quality evaluation: graded: true or graded: [checklist, rubric]

FSM state tracking: fsm: block for system-managed state variables and logic. Only use if needed, linear workflows generally don't need fsm.

Parallel execution: ensemble: { type: parallel } for FSM states - See docs/​mesh-fsm-config.md "Ensemble States" section

CRITICAL - FSM Entry Routing: Entry agents in FSM ensemble meshes MUST fan out to ALL ensemble workers. FSM observes these messages to track state, but explicit routing triggers the workers.

routing:
  entry:
    complete:
      worker-1: "Spawn worker 1"  # ✅ CORRECT - Fan out to all workers
      worker-2: "Spawn worker 2"
      worker-3: "Spawn worker 3"
      # core: "..."                # ❌ WRONG - Workers never spawn!

Original task injection: injectOriginalMessage: true - Injects original task into downstream agents

Design documentation: playbook_notes: - Embed architectural rationale in config (replaces separate READMEs)

Self-assessment metadata: rearmatter: - Agent outputs self-assessment fields (grade, confidence, status) for FSM routing decisions

Lifecycle hooks: Auto-commit, brain insights, quality gates

lifecycle:
  post:
    - commit:auto    # Auto-commit changes
    - brain-update   # Document insights

Available hooks: worktree:create, commit:auto, brain-update, quality:*. See docs/​mesh-config.md.

FSM (State Tracking)

Add fsm: block to track state and provide context to agents.

IMPORTANT: If you use FSM, you must also define routing: configuration. Routes can exist without FSM, but FSM cannot exist without routes.

Sequential workflow:

fsm:
  initial: init

  context:
    turn: 0
    workspace: null

  states:
    init:
      agents: [coordinator]
      entry:
        set:
          turn: "$((turn + 1))"
          workspace: "/​path/​to/​turn-$turn"
      exit:
        default: awaiting_work

    awaiting_work:
      agents: [worker]
      exit:
        when:
          - condition: signal == "PASS"
            target: complete
        default: awaiting_work

  scripts: {}

Parallel workflow (ensemble):

routing:
  # Ensemble agents need explicit routing
  rev-1:
    complete:
      synthesizer: "Review 1 complete"
  rev-2:
    complete:
      synthesizer: "Review 2 complete"
  rev-3:
    complete:
      synthesizer: "Review 3 complete"

fsm:
  initial: parallel_review

  states:
    parallel_review:
      ensemble:
        type: parallel          # Required: type inside ensemble block
        agents: [rev-1, rev-2, rev-3]
        aggregation: concat
      exit:
        set:
          results: "$ENSEMBLE_OUTPUT"
        default: synthesize

  scripts: {}

Agents receive injected context:

## FSM Context
state: awaiting_work
turn: 5
workspace: /​path/​to/​turn-5

See docs/​mesh-fsm-config.md for:

• Exit-based routing (when/​run/​default)
• Ensemble states (parallel execution)
• Self-loops and iteration tracking
• Gates and validation

Documentation

playbook_notes in config.yaml (for maintainers)

• Design rationale and architectural decisions
• WHY the mesh is built this way
• Alignment with methodologies/​patterns
• Not injected into prompts

Example:

playbook_notes: |
  This mesh implements the Ralph pattern from ClaytonFarr/​ralph-playbook.
  Uses layered quality refinement: haiku drafts, sonnet reviews, opus finalizes.

Debugging

tx status    # Workers, queue
tx msg       # Message viewer
tx spy       # Real-time activity
tx logs      # System logs