feat(team): implement startTaskByUser functionality

- Added a new IPC handler for starting tasks triggered by users, ensuring that the task owner is always notified.
- Introduced `startTaskByUser` method in `TeamDataService` to handle task initiation and notifications.
- Updated relevant components and API interfaces to support the new functionality, including changes in the UI to call `startTaskByUser` instead of the previous `startTask`.
- Documented agent block usage for internal instructions in CLAUDE.md.

This enhancement improves user interaction with task management by providing a clear mechanism for user-initiated task starts.

CLAUDE.md

@@ -64,6 +64,13 @@ Path encoding: `/Users/name/project` → `-Users-name-project`
 
 ## Critical Concepts
 
+### Agent Blocks
+- Use `wrapAgentBlock(text)` from `@shared/constants/agentBlocks` to wrap agent-only content.
+  Do NOT manually concatenate `AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN/CLOSE` — the wrapper handles trimming and formatting.
+- `stripAgentBlocks(text)` — removes agent blocks for UI display
+- `unwrapAgentBlock(block)` — extracts content from a single block
+- Agent blocks are hidden from the user in UI, used for internal instructions between agents.
+
 ### isMeta Flag
 - `isMeta: false` = Real user message (creates new chunks)
 - `isMeta: true` = Internal message (tool results, system-generated)

src/main/ipc/teams.ts

@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ import {
   TEAM_SHOW_MESSAGE_NOTIFICATION,
   TEAM_SOFT_DELETE_TASK,
   TEAM_START_TASK,
+  TEAM_START_TASK_BY_USER,
   TEAM_STOP,
   TEAM_TOOL_APPROVAL_READ_FILE,
   TEAM_TOOL_APPROVAL_RESPOND,
@@ -332,6 +333,7 @@ export function registerTeamHandlers(ipcMain: IpcMain): void {
   ipcMain.handle(TEAM_GET_MEMBER_STATS, handleGetMemberStats);
   ipcMain.handle(TEAM_UPDATE_CONFIG, handleUpdateConfig);
   ipcMain.handle(TEAM_START_TASK, handleStartTask);
+  ipcMain.handle(TEAM_START_TASK_BY_USER, handleStartTaskByUser);
   ipcMain.handle(TEAM_GET_ALL_TASKS, handleGetAllTasks);
   ipcMain.handle(TEAM_ADD_TASK_COMMENT, handleAddTaskComment);
   ipcMain.handle(TEAM_ADD_MEMBER, handleAddMember);
@@ -393,6 +395,7 @@ export function removeTeamHandlers(ipcMain: IpcMain): void {
   ipcMain.removeHandler(TEAM_GET_MEMBER_STATS);
   ipcMain.removeHandler(TEAM_UPDATE_CONFIG);
   ipcMain.removeHandler(TEAM_START_TASK);
+  ipcMain.removeHandler(TEAM_START_TASK_BY_USER);
   ipcMain.removeHandler(TEAM_GET_ALL_TASKS);
   ipcMain.removeHandler(TEAM_ADD_TASK_COMMENT);
   ipcMain.removeHandler(TEAM_ADD_MEMBER);
@@ -2116,6 +2119,24 @@ async function handleStartTask(
   );
 }
 
+async function handleStartTaskByUser(
+  _event: IpcMainInvokeEvent,
+  teamName: unknown,
+  taskId: unknown
+): Promise<IpcResult<{ notifiedOwner: boolean }>> {
+  const validatedTeamName = validateTeamName(teamName);
+  if (!validatedTeamName.valid) {
+    return { success: false, error: validatedTeamName.error ?? 'Invalid teamName' };
+  }
+  const validatedTaskId = validateTaskId(taskId);
+  if (!validatedTaskId.valid) {
+    return { success: false, error: validatedTaskId.error ?? 'Invalid taskId' };
+  }
+  return wrapTeamHandler('startTaskByUser', () =>
+    getTeamDataService().startTaskByUser(validatedTeamName.value!, validatedTaskId.value!)
+  );
+}
+
 async function handleGetAllTasks(_event: IpcMainInvokeEvent): Promise<IpcResult<GlobalTask[]>> {
   setCurrentMainOp('team:getAllTasks');
   const startedAt = Date.now();

src/main/services/team/TeamDataService.ts

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import {
   AGENT_BLOCK_CLOSE,
   AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN,
   stripAgentBlocks,
+  wrapAgentBlock,
 } from '@shared/constants/agentBlocks';
 import { getMemberColorByName } from '@shared/constants/memberColors';
 import { isLeadAgentType, isLeadMember } from '@shared/utils/leadDetection';
@@ -927,6 +928,61 @@ export class TeamDataService {
     return { notifiedOwner: !!task.owner };
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Start a task triggered by the user via UI.
+   * Unlike startTask(), this always notifies the owner (including the lead in solo teams).
+   */
+  async startTaskByUser(teamName: string, taskId: string): Promise<{ notifiedOwner: boolean }> {
+    const tasks = await this.taskReader.getTasks(teamName);
+    const task = tasks.find((t) => t.id === taskId);
+    if (!task) {
+      throw new Error(`Task #${taskId} not found`);
+    }
+    if (task.status !== 'pending') {
+      throw new Error(`Task #${taskId} is not pending (current: ${task.status})`);
+    }
+
+    this.getController(teamName).tasks.startTask(taskId, 'user');
+
+    if (task.owner) {
+      try {
+        const parts = [
+          `**start working on task now** ${this.getTaskLabel(task)} "${task.subject}"`,
+        ];
+        if (task.description?.trim()) {
+          parts.push(`\nDetails:\n${task.description.trim()}`);
+        }
+        if (task.prompt?.trim()) {
+          parts.push(`\nInstructions:\n${task.prompt.trim()}`);
+        }
+        parts.push(
+          '',
+          wrapAgentBlock(
+            [
+              `Begin work on this task immediately. Keep it moving until it is completed or clearly blocked. Do not leave it idle.`,
+              `To fetch the full task context (description, comments, attachments) use:`,
+              `task_get { teamName: "${teamName}", taskId: "${task.id}" }`,
+              `When done, update task status:`,
+              `task_complete { teamName: "${teamName}", taskId: "${task.id}" }`,
+            ].join('\n')
+          )
+        );
+        await this.sendMessage(teamName, {
+          member: task.owner,
+          from: 'user',
+          text: parts.join('\n'),
+          taskRefs: task.descriptionTaskRefs,
+          summary: `Start working on ${this.getTaskLabel(task)}`,
+          source: 'system_notification',
+        });
+      } catch {
+        // Best-effort notification
+      }
+    }
+
+    return { notifiedOwner: !!task.owner };
+  }
+
   async updateTaskStatus(
     teamName: string,
     taskId: string,

src/main/services/team/TeamProvisioningService.ts

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import {
   AGENT_BLOCK_CLOSE,
   AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN,
   stripAgentBlocks,
+  wrapAgentBlock,
 } from '@shared/constants/agentBlocks';
 import {
   CROSS_TEAM_PREFIX_TAG,
@@ -387,11 +388,8 @@ async function ensureCwdExists(cwd: string): Promise<void> {
   }
 }
 
-function wrapInAgentBlock(text: string): string {
+/** @deprecated Use wrapAgentBlock from @shared/constants/agentBlocks instead. */
-  const trimmed = text.trim();
+const wrapInAgentBlock = wrapAgentBlock;
-  if (trimmed.length === 0) return '';
-  return `${AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN}\n${trimmed}\n${AGENT_BLOCK_CLOSE}`;
-}
 
 function indentMultiline(text: string, indent: string): string {
   return text

src/preload/constants/ipcChannels.ts

@@ -298,6 +298,9 @@ export const TEAM_GET_MEMBER_STATS = 'team:getMemberStats';
 /** Start a pending task (transition to in_progress + notify agent) */
 export const TEAM_START_TASK = 'team:startTask';
 
+/** Start a pending task from UI — always notifies owner (including lead in solo teams) */
+export const TEAM_START_TASK_BY_USER = 'team:startTaskByUser';
+
 /** Get all tasks across all teams */
 export const TEAM_GET_ALL_TASKS = 'team:getAllTasks';
 

src/preload/index.ts

@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ import {
   TEAM_SHOW_MESSAGE_NOTIFICATION,
   TEAM_SOFT_DELETE_TASK,
   TEAM_START_TASK,
+  TEAM_START_TASK_BY_USER,
   TEAM_STOP,
   TEAM_TOOL_APPROVAL_EVENT,
   TEAM_TOOL_APPROVAL_READ_FILE,
@@ -872,6 +873,13 @@ const electronAPI: ElectronAPI = {
     startTask: async (teamName: string, taskId: string) => {
       return invokeIpcWithResult<{ notifiedOwner: boolean }>(TEAM_START_TASK, teamName, taskId);
     },
+    startTaskByUser: async (teamName: string, taskId: string) => {
+      return invokeIpcWithResult<{ notifiedOwner: boolean }>(
+        TEAM_START_TASK_BY_USER,
+        teamName,
+        taskId
+      );
+    },
     processSend: async (teamName: string, message: string) => {
       return invokeIpcWithResult<void>(TEAM_PROCESS_SEND, teamName, message);
     },

src/renderer/api/httpClient.ts

@@ -756,6 +756,12 @@ export class HttpAPIClient implements ElectronAPI {
     startTask: async (_teamName: string, _taskId: string): Promise<{ notifiedOwner: boolean }> => {
       throw new Error('Team start task is not available in browser mode');
     },
+    startTaskByUser: async (
+      _teamName: string,
+      _taskId: string
+    ): Promise<{ notifiedOwner: boolean }> => {
+      throw new Error('Team start task by user is not available in browser mode');
+    },
     processSend: async (_teamName: string, _message: string): Promise<void> => {
       throw new Error('Team process communication is not available in browser mode');
     },

src/renderer/components/team/TeamDetailView.tsx

@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ export const TeamDetailView = ({ teamName }: TeamDetailViewProps): React.JSX.Ele
     sendTeamMessage,
     requestReview,
     createTeamTask,
-    startTask,
+    startTaskByUser,
     deleteTeam,
     openTeamsTab,
     closeTab,
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ export const TeamDetailView = ({ teamName }: TeamDetailViewProps): React.JSX.Ele
       sendTeamMessage: s.sendTeamMessage,
       requestReview: s.requestReview,
       createTeamTask: s.createTeamTask,
-      startTask: s.startTask,
+      startTaskByUser: s.startTaskByUser,
       deleteTeam: s.deleteTeam,
       openTeamsTab: s.openTeamsTab,
       closeTab: s.closeTab,
@@ -1537,7 +1537,7 @@ export const TeamDetailView = ({ teamName }: TeamDetailViewProps): React.JSX.Ele
               onStartTask={(taskId) => {
                 void (async () => {
                   try {
-                    const result = await startTask(teamName, taskId);
+                    const result = await startTaskByUser(teamName, taskId);
                     if (data?.isAlive) {
                       const task = data.tasks.find((t) => t.id === taskId);
                       try {

src/renderer/store/slices/teamSlice.ts

@@ -583,6 +583,7 @@ export interface TeamSlice {
   ) => Promise<void>;
   createTeamTask: (teamName: string, request: CreateTaskRequest) => Promise<TeamTask>;
   startTask: (teamName: string, taskId: string) => Promise<{ notifiedOwner: boolean }>;
+  startTaskByUser: (teamName: string, taskId: string) => Promise<{ notifiedOwner: boolean }>;
   updateTaskStatus: (teamName: string, taskId: string, status: TeamTaskStatus) => Promise<void>;
   updateTaskOwner: (teamName: string, taskId: string, owner: string | null) => Promise<void>;
   updateTaskFields: (
@@ -1443,6 +1444,14 @@ export const createTeamSlice: StateCreator<AppState, [], [], TeamSlice> = (set,
     return result;
   },
 
+  startTaskByUser: async (teamName: string, taskId: string) => {
+    const result = await unwrapIpc('team:startTaskByUser', () =>
+      api.teams.startTaskByUser(teamName, taskId)
+    );
+    await get().refreshTeamData(teamName);
+    return result;
+  },
+
   updateTaskStatus: async (teamName: string, taskId: string, status: TeamTaskStatus) => {
     await unwrapIpc('team:updateTaskStatus', () =>
       api.teams.updateTaskStatus(teamName, taskId, status)

src/shared/constants/agentBlocks.ts

@@ -81,6 +81,16 @@ export function extractAgentBlockContents(text: string): string[] {
  */
 export const AGENT_BLOCK_REGEX = new RegExp(AGENT_BLOCK_PATTERN, 'g');
 
+/**
+ * Wraps text in agent-only block markers.
+ * Use this instead of manually concatenating AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN/CLOSE.
+ */
+export function wrapAgentBlock(text: string): string {
+  const trimmed = text.trim();
+  if (trimmed.length === 0) return '';
+  return `${AGENT_BLOCK_OPEN}\n${trimmed}\n${AGENT_BLOCK_CLOSE}`;
+}
+
 /**
  * Fenced code block marker for reply messages between agents.
  *

src/shared/types/api.ts

@@ -443,6 +443,7 @@ export interface TeamsAPI {
     fields: { subject?: string; description?: string }
   ) => Promise<void>;
   startTask: (teamName: string, taskId: string) => Promise<{ notifiedOwner: boolean }>;
+  startTaskByUser: (teamName: string, taskId: string) => Promise<{ notifiedOwner: boolean }>;
   processSend: (teamName: string, message: string) => Promise<void>;
   processAlive: (teamName: string) => Promise<boolean>;
   aliveList: () => Promise<string[]>;