Best use case
no-polling-agents is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
No Polling for Background Agents
Teams using no-polling-agents should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/no-polling-agents/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How no-polling-agents Compares
| Feature / Agent | no-polling-agents | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
No Polling for Background Agents
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
SKILL.md Source
# No Polling for Background Agents
When launching parallel background agents, do NOT poll with sleep loops.
## Pattern
Background agents write to status files when complete. Wait for them naturally.
## DO
- Launch agents with `run_in_background: true`
- Continue with other work while agents run
- Check status file only when user asks or when you need results to proceed
- Trust the agent completion system
## DON'T
- Run `sleep 10 && cat status.txt` in loops
- Continuously poll for completion
- Waste tokens checking status repeatedly
- Block on agents unless absolutely necessary
## When to Check Status
1. User explicitly asks "are they done?"
2. You need agent output to proceed with next task
3. Significant time has passed and user is waiting
## Example
```typescript
// Launch agents
Task({ ..., run_in_background: true })
Task({ ..., run_in_background: true })
// Continue with other work or conversation
// Agents will write to status file when done
// Only check when needed
cat .claude/cache/status.txt
```
## Source
User feedback: "You can just wait until everyone pings you"Related Skills
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