--- summary: "Hook agent turns, subagent runs, and Task Flow record binding" read_when: - You are dispatching an agent turn for untrusted external content - You are launching or waiting on a background subagent run - You are binding Task Flow or Task Run state to an owner session title: "Plugin runtime background work" sidebarTitle: "Background work" --- Start agent work in the background: hook-dispatched turns for external content, subagent runs, and the Task Flow records that track them. Part of the [Plugin runtime helpers](/plugins/sdk-runtime) reference. ## Background work namespaces Dispatch isolated agent turns for untrusted external-content triggers, such as an email watcher. Unlike `api.runtime.subagent.run(...)`, hook dispatch wraps external content, serializes runs for the same session, and reports completion through the Gateway. Plugin turns share the cron execution budget without requiring the HTTP hooks endpoint. When HTTP hooks are enabled, one slot in that shared budget remains reserved for HTTP work. ```typescript const result = await api.runtime.hooks.dispatchHookAgentTurn({ name: "IMAP inbox", agentId: "mail", sessionKey: "hook:imap:account:123:456", message: "Summarize the new email and identify any requested actions.", externalContentSource: "email", deliver: true, thinking: "low", // optional timeoutSeconds: 60, // optional idempotencyKey: "account:123:456", // optional }); if (!result.ok) { api.logger.warn(`Hook agent turn was rejected: ${result.reason}`); } ``` `agentId` is required, and `sessionKey` must begin with `hook:` and contain no whitespace or control characters. `externalContentSource` currently accepts only `"email"`; external-content wrapping cannot be disabled. Set `deliver` to `false` to record completion without announcing it. Successful admission returns `{ ok: true, runId }`; rejected admission returns `{ ok: false, reason }`. This capability is available only to bundled plugins and trusted official plugin installations. It does not require enabling or configuring the HTTP hooks endpoint. Launch and manage background subagent runs. For a tool-free completion that needs no retained session or reply delivery, use `complete(...)`: ```typescript const { text } = await api.runtime.subagent.complete({ agentId: "research", // required configured agent that owns this work message: "Summarize these notes.", extraSystemPrompt: "Return a concise summary.", // optional timeoutMs: 30_000, // optional; defaults to 30 seconds // model: "openai/gpt-5.6-luna", // optional authorized override // signal: abortController.signal, // optional cancellation }); ``` `agentId` and `message` are required. `extraSystemPrompt`, `model`, `timeoutMs`, and `signal` are optional. The selected agent supplies its configured default model and credential owner when `model` is omitted. The result is `{ text: string }`; no session creation, message polling, deletion, or completion delivery is needed. The configured runtime must support fresh, tool-free isolated inference; unsupported runtimes fail before inference. Completions use the [shared background queue](/concepts/queue#background-work), with up to three runs per plugin within the three-run total budget. Cancellation removes queued work immediately. Running work keeps its slot until underlying runtime cleanup finishes, then rejects; late output is not returned after cancellation, timeout, or runtime retirement. Calls require a live Gateway binding and plugin identity. Request-scoped calls retain the caller's operator scopes and agent access; completions started inside an operator tool invocation are cancelled when that invocation ends. Model overrides retain the existing subagent authorization and `allowedModels` policy below. Use `run(...)` when you need a session or an agent tool surface: ```typescript // Start a subagent run const { runId, sessionKey } = await api.runtime.subagent.run({ sessionKey: "agent:main:subagent:search-helper", message: "Expand this query into focused follow-up searches.", toolsAlsoAllow: ["my_plugin_progress"], promptMode: "minimal", // optional bounded subagent prompt provider: "openai", // optional override model: "gpt-5.6-sol", // optional override deliver: false, completionDelivery: "current-requester", // optional, before_dispatch hooks only }); // Wait for completion const result = await api.runtime.subagent.waitForRun({ runId, timeoutMs: 30000 }); // Read session messages const { messages } = await api.runtime.subagent.getSessionMessages({ sessionKey: "agent:main:subagent:search-helper", limit: 10, }); // Delete a session await api.runtime.subagent.deleteSession({ sessionKey: "agent:main:subagent:search-helper", }); ``` Gateway-backed runs return the canonical accepted `sessionKey` alongside `runId`. The field is optional in the TypeScript result only so explicit custom runtimes remain compatible. `waitForRun(...)` returns the canonical Gateway wait result. `status` is `"ok"`, `"error"`, `"timeout"`, or `"pending"`; pending is a normal nonterminal observation, not an exception. Optional `error`, `startedAt`, `endedAt`, `stopReason`, `livenessState`, `yielded`, `pendingError`, `timeoutPhase`, `providerStarted`, and `terminalReply` metadata is preserved so callers can distinguish observation timeouts from terminal outcomes. `timeoutMs` bounds the wait call; it does not cancel the run. Outside an authorized Gateway request, model overrides require operator opt-in via `plugins.entries..subagent.allowModelOverride: true` in config. Plugins without that opt-in can use the configured model, but override requests are rejected. `plugins.entries..subagent.allowedModels` can restrict overrides to canonical `provider/model` targets. The same policy applies to `complete`; request-scoped calls retain their authenticated client's override authority. The check uses the destination agent's model configuration, including exact configured model IDs, and applies to the plugin's initial override. Configured defaults, operator-installed model routing hooks, and automatic model fallbacks retain their own selection policies. `toolsAlsoAllow` adds exact, uniquely owned tools registered by the calling plugin to the worker's normal tool surface. The runtime rejects core tools and names shared with another plugin. Profiles and operator tool policies still apply, including explicit allowlists and denies. `promptMode: "minimal"` selects the bounded subagent prompt instead of the full conversation prompt. The plugin runtime exposes only this mode; omission keeps the full prompt. Use `disableTools: true` as well when the run must have an exact empty tool surface. `completionDelivery: "current-requester"` is default-off and is only available while a `before_dispatch` hook is handling an authenticated inbound request. OpenClaw captures the canonical requester session and delivery route before invoking the plugin, then delivers the subagent completion through the normal announce path. Plugins cannot provide or override requester lineage or destination fields. Calls outside that requester-bound hook context are rejected. `deleteSession(...)` can delete sessions created by the same plugin through `api.runtime.subagent.run(...)`. Deleting arbitrary user or operator sessions still requires an admin-scoped Gateway request. Bind Task Flow and Task Run state to a trusted, existing OpenClaw owner session. - `managedFlows` creates and mutates managed flow records. Bind with `fromToolContext(ctx)` or `bindSession({ sessionKey, requesterOrigin })` using host-resolved context, never raw user input. - `flows` and `runs` provide owner-scoped DTO lookups (`get`, `list`, `findLatest`, `resolve`). `flows` also exposes `getTaskSummary`; `runs.cancel` cancels an existing task. - `managedFlows.get(flowId)` returns the record with its revision. The read-only `flows` DTO is not the revision-bearing mutation record. A skill file does not provide `api` or register a plugin. For operator/agent workflows, use [managed Lobster execution](/automation/taskflow#run-a-managed-lobster-workflow). The following contract is for actual plugin/controller code. **Launching and linking a child** `runTask` records a link to existing work; it never launches ACP/subagent execution. The backing task must already exist with the same owner, canonical run/session identities and task runtime. Arbitrary IDs or a `status: "running"` declaration cannot establish that authority. 1. Create a managed flow bound to the real requester session. Handle creation failure before launching work. Binding state access does not grant subagent requester authority. 2. Inside an active requester-bound `before_dispatch` hook for an authenticated inbound request, call `api.runtime.subagent.run` with a unique agent-qualified child session key, the task message and `completionDelivery: "current-requester"`. The Gateway captures the requester and delivery route; retain the returned canonical `runId` and `sessionKey`. Missing identities or a rejected launch are failures, not permission to fabricate a task. Ordinary runs without `current-requester` have `not_applicable` completion delivery and lack the mirrored backing needed for this link. 3. Immediately before linking, resolve the canonical task with the owner-bound `runs.resolve(runId)`. Verify its owner, run id, child session key and task runtime. Use its actual `sourceId`, queued/running status and available timing facts in `managedFlows.runTask`, alongside the managed flow id and task description. Do not confuse the launch result's harness/provider metadata with the task DTO's `runtime`. Keep this final read/check and `runTask` synchronous, with no intervening `await`, and check `created` before proceeding. 4. Observe completion through `subagent.waitForRun` and the canonical task. A bounded wait returning `pending` or an observation timeout is not a terminal child failure and does not cancel the run. Interpret results only after actual completion. On failure, record a failed/blocked flow outcome and report it; never insert a replacement child declaration to hide launch/link refusal. 5. Reload the managed record after awaited work. Stop for terminal state or cancellation intent; use the latest revision for the next state transition. Check every `applied` result, including `finish`/`fail`, and check `cancelled` for cancellation. On revision conflict, reread and reconcile rather than blindly retrying side effects. A child can finish before step 3. `runTask` does not replay terminal events that preceded linkage, so never label a completed backing task as queued or running. Handle its completed result directly in the controller instead of creating a stale active projection. The launch/link sequence is not atomic. `completionDelivery: "current-requester"` is available only within the genuine hook invocation. Do not retain that authority after the hook ends or call private requester-context/registry helpers. See `api.runtime.subagent` above for the public launch and wait contract. ACP linkage likewise requires an existing owner-backed ACP launch, not a standalone `runTask` declaration. **State without a child** For inline work, use `createManaged`, then checked `setWaiting`, `resume`, `finish` or `fail` transitions as appropriate; no `runTask` is needed. Keep `stateJson` and `waitJson` bounded. Waiting metadata records the reason and correlation, but the controller must register the real event listener. Records persist in SQLite; arbitrary JavaScript is not replayed after restart. Reload with the same trusted owner binding and explicitly resume from current state. Task Flow is not a scheduler: use Automations or `api.session.workflow.scheduleSessionTurn(...)` for future wakeups. See [Task Flow](/automation/taskflow) for durability and cancellation.