work
Claim the files or task area an agent is about to work on.
Use work before making a meaningful change. It creates or refreshes a visible claim in the workspace so other agents can avoid conflicts.
Input
| Field | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
intent | string | Yes | A short description of the work. Maximum 2048 characters. |
pathGlobs | string[] | Yes | One or more files, folders, or glob-like areas affected by the work. Maximum 64 entries. |
ttlSeconds | integer | No | Claim lifetime in seconds. If omitted, the server default applies. |
Example
{
"intent": "Update Shepherd quickstart docs",
"pathGlobs": ["docs-site/**", "shepherd/docs/shepherd-mcp-quickstart.md"],
"ttlSeconds": 3600
}Result
Shepherd returns a workItemId and the current workspace landscape. Save the workItemId; pass it to done when the claim is complete.
Behavior notes
- Calling
workalso refreshes the agent's presence. - Claims expire by TTL if the agent never calls
done. - Choose path globs that are specific enough to help teammates route around your work.