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# Multi-Server Agent Workflow

## The Problem
Agents work across multiple servers (vast1, vast2, laptop, etc.) in their domain. How do we prevent branch chaos while enabling parallel development?

## The Solution: Domain Branches + Host Overlays

### 1. Default: Domain-Scoped Branches
```bash
# One branch per logical change, regardless of where you work on it
git checkout -b dataops/redis-cluster-optimization

# Work from laptop
vim cache/redis_config.py
git commit -m "Optimize Redis connection pooling"

# Continue from vast1 (git worktree or fresh clone)
git checkout dataops/redis-cluster-optimization
vim cache/performance_tuning.py  
git commit -m "Add memory-mapped config loading"

# Push from anywhere
git push origin dataops/redis-cluster-optimization
```

### 2. Host-Specific Changes: Separate Overlay Branches
```bash
# If you need different config per server
git checkout -b env/host/vast1/redis-memory-limits
# Only touch: overlays/production/vast1/cache_config.yaml

git checkout -b env/host/vast2/redis-memory-limits  
# Only touch: overlays/production/vast2/cache_config.yaml
```

### 3. Coordinated Multi-Host Rollouts
```bash
# Create tracking issue first
gh issue create --title "DTO Cache Upgrade Rollout" --body "..."

# Stack small PRs per host
git checkout -b env/host/vast1/dto-cache-upgrade
git checkout -b env/host/vast2/dto-cache-upgrade
git checkout -b env/host/laptop/dto-cache-upgrade

# Merge queue ensures ordered deployment
```

## Merge Queue Behavior

### Class-A (Serialized): Host Overlays
```
env/host/* → batch_size: 1, strict_order: true
deployment/environments/* → batch_size: 1
```

### Class-B/C (Parallel): Domain Logic  
```
dataops/* → batch_size: 3, if CI green
aiml/* → batch_size: 3, if CI green
signalcore/* → batch_size: 2, if CI green
```

## Branch Lifecycle

### 1. Create Domain Branch
```bash
# Working on DTO lineage improvements
git checkout -b dataops/lineage-performance-v2

# Commit from laptop
git commit -m "Add caching layer to lineage queries"

# Continue from vast1
git worktree add ../dto-vast1 dataops/lineage-performance-v2
cd ../dto-vast1
git commit -m "Add production-scale test data"
```

### 2. Extract Host-Specific Needs
```bash
# Realize vast1 needs different memory limits
git checkout -b env/host/vast1/lineage-memory-boost
# Edit: overlays/production/vast1/lineage_config.yaml

# Keep domain branch clean of host specifics
git checkout dataops/lineage-performance-v2
# Continue with logic changes only
```

### 3. Coordinate PRs
```bash
# Domain change PR (can be parallel)
gh pr create --title "DTO Lineage Performance V2" \
  --head dataops/lineage-performance-v2

# Host overlay PR (will be serialized)  
gh pr create --title "Vast1: Lineage Memory Limits" \
  --head env/host/vast1/lineage-memory-boost \
  --label "class-a,overlay-change,host:vast1"
```

## Labels Drive Behavior

### Required Labels
```yaml
# Domain changes
- domain:dataops
- scope:performance
- class-b

# Host changes  
- class-a
- overlay-change
- host:vast1
- needs-pause  # Until owner approves
```

### CI Gate Rules
```python
# Path-based routing
if path.startswith('overlays/') or path.startswith('deployment/environments/'):
    queue_class = 'A'  # Serialized
    require_labels = ['host:*', 'overlay-change']
    
if path.startswith('dataops/') and not overlay_path:
    queue_class = 'B'  # Can batch
    require_validation = ['dto-schema', 'port-conflicts']
```

## Anti-Patterns to Avoid

### ❌ Server Names in Domain Branches
```bash
# DON'T DO THIS
vast1-dataops-fixes
laptop-testing-branch  
vast2-maybe-works
```

### ❌ Mixed Scope PRs
```bash
# DON'T: Domain logic + host config in one PR
dataops/cache-upgrade-plus-vast1-config

# DO: Split into separate PRs
dataops/cache-upgrade
env/host/vast1/cache-config-update
```

### ❌ Multi-Host Overlay PRs
```bash
# DON'T: Touch multiple hosts in one PR
env/host/all-hosts/memory-increase

# DO: One host per PR  
env/host/vast1/memory-increase
env/host/vast2/memory-increase
```

## Real Example: Syncthing Bandwidth Limits

### Scenario
You're on laptop, need to update Syncthing config across vast1 and vast2 with different bandwidth limits.

### Execution
```bash
# 1. Create domain branch for the feature
git checkout -b dataops/syncthing-adaptive-bandwidth

# 2. Work on core logic (from laptop)
vim integrations/syncthing_client.py
git commit -m "Add adaptive bandwidth calculation"

# 3. Test on vast1 
git worktree add ../dto-vast1 dataops/syncthing-adaptive-bandwidth
cd ../dto-vast1
# Test, iterate, commit improvements

# 4. Create host-specific overlays
git checkout -b env/host/vast1/syncthing-bandwidth-100mb
vim overlays/production/vast1/syncthing_config.yaml
git commit -m "Set vast1 bandwidth limit to 100MB/s"

git checkout -b env/host/vast2/syncthing-bandwidth-50mb  
vim overlays/production/vast2/syncthing_config.yaml
git commit -m "Set vast2 bandwidth limit to 50MB/s"

# 5. Create coordinated PRs
gh pr create --head dataops/syncthing-adaptive-bandwidth \
  --title "Syncthing Adaptive Bandwidth Algorithm"

gh pr create --head env/host/vast1/syncthing-bandwidth-100mb \
  --title "Vast1: Syncthing 100MB/s limit" \
  --label "class-a,overlay-change,host:vast1"

gh pr create --head env/host/vast2/syncthing-bandwidth-50mb \
  --title "Vast2: Syncthing 50MB/s limit" \
  --label "class-a,overlay-change,host:vast2"
```

### Merge Order
1. Domain PR merges first (or in parallel with others)
2. Host overlays merge one at a time via Class-A queue
3. Deployment happens in controlled sequence

## Tool Support

### Git Worktree for Multi-Server
```bash
# Set up parallel workspaces
git worktree add ../dto-laptop main
git worktree add ../dto-vast1 main  
git worktree add ../dto-vast2 main

# Work on same branch from different servers
cd ../dto-vast1 && git checkout dataops/my-feature
cd ../dto-vast2 && git checkout dataops/my-feature
```

### Branch Cleanup Automation
```bash
# Auto-delete merged branches
git config --global branch.autosetupmerge always
git config --global branch.autosetuprebase always

# Cleanup script
./scripts/cleanup-merged-branches.sh
```

## Summary

- **Branch by domain/feature, not by server**
- **Use overlays for host-specific configuration** 
- **Labels and paths drive merge queue behavior**
- **One logical change = one branch, regardless of where you work**
- **Host overlays get serialized; domain logic can be parallel**
- **Git worktree lets you work the same branch from multiple servers**

This keeps the history clean, enables parallel work, and ensures safe deployment across your infrastructure.

---
*Generated by DTO Platform Team - Multi-Server Workflow Standards*