Can I wait for messages from multiple agents at once?

Yes, by using wildcard topics such as 'agent.*.response', you can block execution until any agent matching that pattern sends a message.

How do I ensure a message isn't read twice by different processes?

Use the --ack flag with the wait command to mark the received message as read so it won't appear in future unread message queries.

What happens if a message doesn't arrive within the timeout?

The skill will exit with a JSON status indicating a timeout and an exit code of 1, allowing the calling agent to handle the failure gracefully.

What is the default timeout for the wait command?

The default timeout is 24 hours, which is designed to support long-running asynchronous jobs or overnight background processing.

Hive Agent Synchronization

Name: Hive Agent Synchronization
Author: colonyops

bycolonyops

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Collaboration Tools

Synchronizes multi-agent workflows by blocking execution until specific messages or acknowledgments arrive on specified topics.

The msg-wait skill for the Hive plugin enables seamless coordination between autonomous agents by allowing them to wait for triggers, handoffs, or acknowledgments. It provides a robust mechanism to pause execution with configurable timeouts, supporting everything from quick sub-second checks to long-running asynchronous tasks. By facilitating structured request-response patterns and cross-agent communication, it ensures that distributed AI workflows remain synchronized and predictable without manual polling or complex custom logic.

Key Features

01Configurable timeouts with support for seconds, minutes, and hours

02Blocking execution for message-based synchronization

03Automatic agent inbox detection for simplified handoff workflows

0415 GitHub stars

05Topic-based subscription with wildcard support for group monitoring

06Message acknowledgment to maintain clean communication states

Use Cases

01Coordinating complex handoffs between specialized AI agents

02Implementing reliable request-response patterns in distributed agent systems

03Waiting for external build or CI/CD process completions before proceeding

What are Skills?·How to Install

Install with 🐟 Skill.Fish

npx skillfish add colonyops/hive msg-wait

For use in Claude.ai and ChatGPT

Download Skill