talking-stick 0.4.0 → 0.4.1

package/README.md

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 A CLI coordination tool that lets multiple AI coding agents share a single workspace without stepping on each other. One agent holds the stick at a time; handoffs carry structured context so the next agent doesn't have to re-derive it.
 
-**Version:** 0.4.0. Multi-process-safe (SQLite WAL), liveness-aware, no daemon. Supports Claude Code, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, and OpenCode out of the box. Two agents in the same room can also chat out-of-band — without passing the stick — via `tt msg send/recv`.
+**Version:** 0.4.1. Multi-process-safe (SQLite WAL), liveness-aware, no daemon. Supports Claude Code, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, and OpenCode out of the box. Two agents in the same room can also chat out-of-band — without passing the stick — via `tt msg send/recv`.
 
 ## Quickstart
 
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ That's the whole workflow. They negotiate turns automatically, hand off structur
 
 | Method | Command | Notes |
 |---|---|---|
-| **From npm** | `npm i -g talking-stick` | Published as `0.4.0`. Requires Node ≥ 22. |
+| **From npm** | `npm i -g talking-stick` | Published as `0.4.1`. Requires Node ≥ 22. |
 | **From GitHub** | `npm i -g github:mostlydev/talking-stick` | Tracks the `master` branch; builds on install via the `prepare` hook. |
 | **From source** | `git clone … && npm install && npm link` | For contributors. |
 

package/dist/instructions.js

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import { resolveContextPath } from "./path-resolution.js";
 export const DEFAULT_MAX_INSTRUCTION_FILE_BYTES = 256 * 1024;
 export const DEFAULT_INSTRUCTIONS_MARKDOWN = `# Talking Stick collaboration instructions
 
-Keep using Talking Stick until the shared task is done. After releasing or handing off, re-enter the wait loop by default. Prefer continued action unless the task is complete or the operator explicitly redirects or stops the room.
+Keep using Talking Stick until the shared task is done. After releasing or handing off, re-enter the wait loop by default. Prefer continued action unless the task is complete or the operator explicitly redirects or stops the room. If you are the only active member of the room, stop polling after a clear handoff rather than churning release/reclaim turns.
 
 Use phase names in handoffs when they clarify the work: draft, adversarial review, convergence, implementation, implementation review, test review, and release. These phases are vocabulary, not protocol state.
 

package/dist/service.js

@@ -1247,20 +1247,24 @@ export class TalkingStickService {
         if (!room.pending_handoff_event_seq) {
             return false;
         }
-        if (now.getTime() - Date.parse(room.updated_at) >= this.policy.waiterGraceMs) {
-            return false;
-        }
+        const handoffAgeMs = now.getTime() - Date.parse(room.updated_at);
         const pendingEvent = this.getEventBySeq(room.pending_handoff_event_seq);
         const priorOwner = pendingEvent?.from_agent_id ?? null;
         if (priorOwner === agentId &&
-            this.hasOtherRoomMember(room.room_id, agentId)) {
-            return true;
+            this.hasOtherActiveRoomMember(room.room_id, agentId, now)) {
+            return handoffAgeMs < this.priorOwnerReleaseCooldownMs();
+        }
+        if (handoffAgeMs >= this.policy.waiterGraceMs) {
+            return false;
         }
         const bestKnownMember = this.findBestFairKnownMember(room.room_id, priorOwner, now);
         return bestKnownMember !== null && bestKnownMember.agent_id !== agentId;
     }
-    hasOtherRoomMember(roomId, agentId) {
-        return this.getMembers(roomId).some((member) => member.agent_id !== agentId);
+    hasOtherActiveRoomMember(roomId, agentId, now) {
+        return this.getMembers(roomId).some((member) => member.agent_id !== agentId && this.isMemberActive(member, now));
+    }
+    priorOwnerReleaseCooldownMs() {
+        return Math.max(this.policy.waiterGraceMs * 6, 60_000);
     }
     inspectRoom(room, now) {
         const members = this.getMembers(room.room_id);

package/docs/releases/0.4.1.md

@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+# Talking Stick 0.4.1
+
+Date: 2026-05-10
+
+This patch fixes release/reclaim churn discovered while dogfooding the 0.4.0
+collaboration instructions. A holder could release with "no work", immediately
+re-enter `tt wait`, and reclaim the stick before another active harness had a
+real chance to claim.
+
+## Fixed
+
+### Prior-owner release cooldown
+
+When a room is idle after a release, the release's prior owner now waits through
+a bounded cooldown before reclaiming if another active member exists. The
+cooldown defaults to `max(6 * waiterGraceMs, 60_000)`, which is 60 seconds with
+the stock policy.
+
+Other members can still claim immediately, and the prior owner can continue
+immediately when he is genuinely alone. Stale members and audit-only
+`target=any` event reads do not force a cooldown.
+
+### Solo-polling guidance
+
+The bundled skill and default collaboration instructions now clarify the escape
+hatch for one-agent rooms: if you are the only active member, stop polling after
+a clear handoff instead of churning release/reclaim turns. Brief quiet periods
+from another active agent are not enough to declare yourself alone.
+
+## Verification
+
+```bash
+npm run typecheck
+npm run build
+npm test
+git diff --check
+npm pack --dry-run
+```

package/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "talking-stick",
-  "version": "0.4.0",
+  "version": "0.4.1",
   "description": "CLI coordination tool for path-scoped agent handoffs.",
   "type": "module",
   "bin": {

package/skills/talking-stick/SKILL.md

@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ Exit the wait loop only when one of these is true:
 - the shared task is explicitly finished
 - the operator gives a direct redirect or stop
 
-In every other case, after `tt release` or `tt assign`, go straight back into `tt wait --json`. Other-harness inactivity is not an exit signal; keep waiting or take the next useful action until the task is done.
+In every other case, after `tt release` or `tt assign`, go straight back into `tt wait --json`. If you are the only active member of the room, stop polling after a clear handoff. Treat "only active" as no other member that `tt state --json` reports active or that has been seen in the last hour; if liveness is ambiguous, run one more normal wait cycle instead of churning. Other agents going briefly quiet is not enough to declare yourself alone.
 
 If the operator tells you to drop out of coordination, run `tt leave --json`. Rooms with no active members are deleted instead of kept as history, and long-idle rooms may be purged on later invocations.