---
name: no-polling-agents
description: No Polling for Background Agents
user-invocable: false
---
# 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"
