---
name: lock
description: Take a mutex lock around work only one caller may do at a time
argument-hint: "<lock-id> [why you are taking it]"
allowed-tools:
  - Bash(node ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/mutex/agent-lock.mjs:*)
  - Bash(node "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/mutex/agent-lock.mjs":*)
---

The helper is [`agent-lock.mjs`](../mutex/agent-lock.mjs), in the mutex
skill's directory beside this one. Run it by its absolute path, written
`<helper>` below.

Run this once, with the first word of the user's arguments as the id and the
rest, if any, as the reason:

```bash
node "<helper>" lock <id> --reason "<the rest>"
```

An hour, and thirty seconds of waiting, are the defaults. Pass `--expiration`
or `--wait` only if the user asked for something else. Then say in one line
what happened: acquired and when it expires, or who is holding it and until
when.

Nothing else. No preflight, no status check, no plan, no summary of what you
are about to do. If no id was given, ask for one. If it exits 3 the connection
string is missing: say so and point at `/mutex:preflight`, which is
`$mutex:preflight` in Codex. If it exits 5, or anything comes back that these
two lines do not cover, read the [mutex skill](../mutex/SKILL.md) before
saying anything.