# Run many agents at once

> A 15-minute tutorial: three agents on three branches of one project, and you answering whichever one waits.

Source: https://hivemind.griiken.com/guide/run-many-agents/

Start three agents on three tasks in one project, each on its own branch, and answer them as they
ask. It takes about 15 minutes.

<AgentPrompt description="Paste this into your coding agent to set up three agents on three branches for you." page="run-many-agents">{`
Set up three Hivemind agents working at once on this project, each on its own branch.

1. Check Hivemind is open on this project: \`hive ctl frames --json\` answers. If it exits 3, tell me to open Hivemind on the project with \`hivemind .\` and stop.
2. Ask me for three small tasks and which agent to use (\`hive agents list --found\` lists the ones on this computer).
3. For each task, pick a short branch name and make a worktree: \`git worktree add ../<project>-worktrees/<branch> -b <branch>\`. Do not delete or reset any branch.
4. Open each as a frame: \`hive ctl frame add --folder <full worktree path> --name <branch>\`.
5. Start one agent in each: \`hive ctl spawn --frame <branch> --agent <agent> --prompt "<task>"\`.
6. Check: \`hive ctl agents\` lists three agents, one per frame.

Then tell me to watch the bell at the top of the Layers panel and press it whenever it shows a number. Do not answer the agents' permission questions for me.
`}</AgentPrompt>

<Frame caption="Four agents side by side, each in its own terminal.">
  <video autoPlay muted loop playsInline src="https://hivemind.griiken.com/guide/images/shots/hero/school-of-agents.mp4" poster="https://hivemind.griiken.com/guide/images/shots/hero/school-of-agents.webp" />
</Frame>

## What you'll learn [#what-youll-learn]

- How to give each agent its own branch, so they never edit the same files.
- How to start an agent in a chosen frame.
- How to find and answer the agent that waits on you.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

- Hivemind is installed and one agent works: [Install and run your first agent](https://hivemind.griiken.com/guide/getting-started/).
- Your project is a git repository with no submodules.
- You have three small tasks in mind, such as "add a test for X".

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the project">
    In a terminal, run `cd ~/my-project && hivemind .`.

    Check: the canvas opens with one <Tooltip tip="A named area bound to one folder: the project, a git worktree, or a folder on another computer. Every tile in it starts in that folder." cta="Glossary" href="https://hivemind.griiken.com/guide/glossary/#frame">frame</Tooltip>, named after the project.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Make the first worktree">
    Open the project frame's ⋯ menu, choose **Worktree**, then **Create new worktree**. Type
    `task-one` and press **create**.

    Check: a frame named `task-one` appears, nested under the project.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Make two more">
    Repeat the last step for `task-two` and `task-three`.

    Check: the Layers panel lists three frames under the project.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Start an agent in each">
    Select `task-one` and press **2**. Type its task in the agent's tile and press Enter. Do the
    same in the other two frames.

    Check: each frame has an agent tile marked **working**.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Watch who waits">
    Keep working on something else. Sooner or later an agent asks to run a command or edit a
    file. Its tile turns amber, and the bell at the top of the Layers panel shows a number.

    Check: the bell shows **1** or more.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Answer it">
    Press the bell. Hivemind selects the agent that waits. Answer its question in its tile.

    Check: the tile leaves amber and shows **working** again. The bell's number drops.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What you did [#what-you-did]

- You gave three agents three branches with git worktrees, so their edits never collide.
- You started each agent in its own frame, in its worktree's folder.
- You used the bell to find and answer the agent that waited on you.

## Next [#next]

- [Know who is waiting](https://hivemind.griiken.com/guide/know-who-is-waiting/): notifications, snooze and push to your phone.
- [Review an agent's changes](https://hivemind.griiken.com/guide/review/): comment on a line and the agent fixes it.
- [Coordinate agents](https://hivemind.griiken.com/guide/agent-workflows/): let one agent lead the others.

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