Coordinate work across projects

4 minute read · Chats & Local Agents

A larger idea may involve work in more than one project. Linked tasks let a coordinator assign a bounded piece to another project chat while keeping its progress and result visible.

• Delegate a concrete result
• Let the app handle the waiting
• Delegate a result, not an open-ended role
• Follow progress without constant polling
• Send corrections and review the combined result
• Linked task status and actions

Delegate a concrete result#

Tell the coordinator what belongs to each project and which actions are allowed. A useful assignment names the outcome, the relevant project and checks, rather than “do everything.” Repeated delegation of the same assignment can reuse its linked chat instead of creating duplicates.

Each linked task keeps its own checkout, branch, provider session and permissions. Delegating does not grant automatic commit, push or deployment. Approvals still belong to you.

Let the app handle the waiting#

The linked-task panel shows active work and requests needing attention. Multiple active assignments appear under one X linked chats summary that you can expand. Completed assignments leave that active list; their conversations and reports remain available. Reusing an assignment does not require keeping its progress row visible forever.

While a child works, the coordinator can do independent work. If only waiting remains, the app monitors locally and resumes the coordinator when a result or approval arrives.

Progress refers to the assigned run, not an unrelated later conversation. A failed child remains a failed result with its evidence; the coordinator should explain what remains.

Keep Vortex running for local coordination. This is not a hosted agent fleet or a remote scheduler. Read permission choices and parallel changes.

Delegate a result, not an open-ended role#

Routine assignments use a lighter available model from the coordinator's provider and account. Complex work may use the coordinator's stronger model with an explicit reason. When no suitable lighter model is available for a routine assignment, refresh the model list or keep the work in the coordinating chat. Linked tasks cannot enable Fast mode: they use the standard service tier. Parallel work still consumes provider usage, so delegate a useful independent result rather than creating extra chats just to finish sooner.

A useful assignment identifies the project, bounded task, allowed changes and evidence to return. For example: “Inspect the API validation in this project, add the missing title check and return the changed files plus the focused test result. Do not deploy.” The coordinator can discover project chats and delegate through Vortex's linked-task tools.

Each child retains its own checkout, branch, staging state, provider session and access mode. A stable assignment key allows a repeated delegation request to reuse the linked assignment instead of opening duplicate chats. Delegation does not itself grant permission to commit; automatic commit is disabled for the assignment by default.

Follow progress without constant polling#

The linked-task panel and status tool report the exact assigned run, bounded recent progress, requested approvals and result. The coordinator can continue independent work while children run. When only waiting remains, it yields and the desktop monitors locally. Results or attention can resume the coordinator in a later provider turn.

This waiting behavior is local coordination. It does not host the child on a cloud runner and is not a guarantee about a provider's billing policy. Vortex and the device must remain available for local monitoring and execution.

Send corrections and review the combined result#

Send a follow-up to the existing assignment with the intended run rather than creating another delegation. Stable request IDs prevent repeated messages from being enqueued twice. Stopping targets that linked run. A child failure or approval request should stay visible instead of being converted into coordinator success.

When results arrive, check that they answer the requested task and include useful evidence. The coordinator still needs to verify interfaces and combined behavior. Passing a child test in one project does not prove that the whole app works with another project's change. See checks for practical acceptance evidence.

Linked task status and actions#

Finished assignments leave the active-task display while their conversations and reports remain available. Reuse an existing assignment when continuing the same result rather than creating another copy. Verify how its changes interact with the rest of the project. See parallel work and worktrees.