---
name: Background Agent Pings
slug: background-agent-pings
category: AI Engineering
description: Background Agent Pings instructs Claude Code agents to trust system reminders for background task progress rather than polling. Use it when you want to avoid wasted tokens and context flooding while background agents run.
github: "https://github.com/parcadei/Continuous-Claude-v3/tree/main/.claude/skills/background-agent-pings"
language: Python
stars: 3902
forks: 296
install: "npx degit https://github.com/parcadei/Continuous-Claude-v3/tree/main/.claude/skills/background-agent-pings ~/.claude/skills/background-agent-pings"
installs_to: ~/.claude/skills/background-agent-pings
source_path: .claude/skills/background-agent-pings/SKILL.md
collection_size: 25
category_size: 2451
collection_url: "https://dirskills.com/collections/parcadei/Continuous-Claude-v3"
added: 2026-08-16T07:01:43.535Z
last_synced: 2026-08-16T07:01:43.535Z
canonical_url: "https://dirskills.com/skills/background-agent-pings"
---

# Background Agent Pings

Background Agent Pings instructs Claude Code agents to trust system reminders for background task progress rather than polling. Use it when you want to avoid wasted tokens and context flooding while background agents run.

**Install:**

```bash
npx degit https://github.com/parcadei/Continuous-Claude-v3/tree/main/.claude/skills/background-agent-pings ~/.claude/skills/background-agent-pings
```

## README

# Background Agent Pings

Trust system reminders as agent progress notifications. Don't poll.

## Pattern

When you launch a background agent, **continue working on other tasks**. The system will notify you via reminders when:
- Agent makes progress: `Agent <id> progress: X new tools used, Y new tokens`
- Agent writes output file (check the path you specified)

## DO

```
1. Task(run_in_background=true, prompt="... Output to: .claude/cache/agents/<type>/output.md")
2. Continue with next task immediately
3. When system reminder shows agent activity, check if output file exists
4. Read output file only when agent signals completion
```

## DON'T

```
# BAD: Polling wastes tokens and time
Task(run_in_background=true)
Bash("sleep 5 && ls ...")  # polling
Bash("tail /tmp/claude/.../tasks/<id>.output")  # polling
TaskOutput(task_id="...")  # floods context
```

## Why This Matters

- Polling burns tokens on repeated checks
- `TaskOutput` floods main context with full agent transcript
- System reminders are free - they're pushed to you automatically
- Continue productive work while waiting

## Source

- This session: Realized polling for agent output wasted time when system reminders already provide progress updates