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+# Agent State and Liveness
+
+This reference explains how agents report live status in BeadBoard using `bd agent` and `bd slot`.
+
+## Why This Exists
+
+Two things must always be visible:
+- Current execution state (idle, working, blocked, done, etc.)
+- Current work attachment (which bead the agent is actively hooked to)
+
+If either signal is missing, orchestration quality drops.
+
+## State Model (ZFC)
+
+Use `bd agent state <agent-bead-id> <state>` with these values:
+
+- `idle`: no current task, waiting for assignment
+- `spawning`: session boot and environment checks in progress
+- `running`: agent process is healthy and active
+- `working`: agent is actively executing claimed bead work
+- `stuck`: blocked and requires external intervention
+- `done`: finished current assignment and ready to close out
+- `stopped`: clean shutdown or deliberate pause
+- `dead`: missed heartbeat long enough to be considered dead (Witness timeout path)
+
+## Command Examples for State Transitions
+
+Session start:
+
+```bash
+bd agent state bb-silver-scribe spawning
+bd agent state bb-silver-scribe running
+```
+
+Work claim:
+
+```bash
+bd update beadboard-123 --status in_progress --assignee bb-silver-scribe
+bd slot set bb-silver-scribe hook beadboard-123
+bd agent state bb-silver-scribe working
+```
+
+Blocked condition:
+
+```bash
+bd agent state bb-silver-scribe stuck
+bb agent send --from silver-scribe --to cobalt-ridge --bead beadboard-123 --category BLOCKED --subject "Waiting on schema" --body "Need migration direction before continuing."
+```
+
+Work completion:
+
+```bash
+bd agent state bb-silver-scribe done
+bd slot clear bb-silver-scribe hook
+```
+
+Session end:
+
+```bash
+bd agent state bb-silver-scribe stopped
+```
+
+Inspect current state:
+
+```bash
+bd agent show bb-silver-scribe
+```
+
+## Heartbeats
+
+Use `bd agent heartbeat <agent-bead-id>` to refresh `last_activity` without changing state.
+
+```bash
+bd agent heartbeat bb-silver-scribe
+```
+
+When to heartbeat:
+- At least once every 5-10 minutes during long-running work
+- Immediately before long test/build phases
+- Immediately after recovering from interruptions
+
+Recommended cadence:
+- Normal work: every 5 minutes
+- High-risk long operations: every 2-3 minutes
+
+## Witness Death Timeout
+
+If heartbeats are missed long enough, the Witness/monitoring path can treat the agent as dead and surface `dead` state.
+
+Operational interpretation:
+- `stale`: heartbeat lag is visible, but agent may recover
+- `evicted`: prolonged lag, high confidence agent is unhealthy
+- `idle`/`dead`: no reliable active signal remains
+
+Agent-side rule:
+- If you are alive and still executing, heartbeat before anyone has to guess.
+
+## Slot Operations (Current Work Attachment)
+
+The `hook` slot links an agent bead to the active task bead.
+
+Show slots:
+
+```bash
+bd slot show bb-silver-scribe
+```
+
+Attach current work:
+
+```bash
+bd slot set bb-silver-scribe hook beadboard-123
+```
+
+Detach on completion or handoff:
+
+```bash
+bd slot clear bb-silver-scribe hook
+```
+
+Important slot constraints:
+- `hook` is single-cardinality; clear before replacing
+- stale hooks create misleading UI and should be cleared promptly
+
+## BLOCKED Signal Standard
+
+When blocked:
+1. Set state to stuck (`bd agent state ... stuck`)
+2. Send explicit BLOCKED coordination event (`bb agent send --category BLOCKED ...`)
+3. Keep heartbeat active while waiting
+4. Resume with `running`/`working` once unblocked
+
+This sequence ensures both machine-readable telemetry and human-readable intervention context.