---
slug: "Task"
name: "Task"
type: "Data Structures"
layer: "Infrastructure"
ref: "Task#a850"
sema_id: "sema:Task#mh:SHA-256:a85010f508f85055170c396c8fa390125c1206888c565ac10651f3969a339f8d"
tags: ["Infrastructure","Data Structures"]
updated: 2026-11-11
mindscape: "bootstrap"
index_url: https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap.json
url: https://mindscape.world/bootstrap/Task/
related: ["Constraint","Context","Hierarchy","System","AgentProtocol","Bid","BoundedTask","ComputeBudget","DataMinimization","Decompose","Defer","Delegate","DeliberativeAlign","EpistemicROI","Estimate","ExtendedThinking","FeedbackSignal","FractalIntelligence","Futurestretch","Handoff","HumanApprove","LeastToMost","MetaPrompt","Noise","Parallelize","PolymorphicSolver","Prioritize","Problem","PromptChain","Proprioception","Queue","ReAct","Reflexion","Responsibility","RootSolver","Route","ScopeFreeze","Solution","Solver","SolverTree","SomaticMarker","TaskLifecycle","Throttle","ToolDiscovery","ToolInvoke","UptakeAsGround","Work","WorkerMode","Futurestretch#afac"]
---

# Task

The atomic unit of intent

Layer: Infrastructure · Category: Data Structures

## Mechanism

A specification of intent to be performed by a [System](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/System.md). It encapsulates what to achieve without prescribing the method (how). A Task is recursive: it can be decomposed into child Tasks. Tasks form a [Hierarchy](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Hierarchy.md) where child [Constraint](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Constraint.md)s must be a superset of parent [Constraint](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Constraint.md)s (Holographic Inheritance).

## Invariants

- Holographic Inheritance: [Constraint](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Constraint.md)s(Child) must include ALL [Constraint](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Constraint.md)s(Parent).
- Intent Preservation: Decomposition must not lose the original goal.
- Linkage: Every non-root Task must reference its parent.

## Failure modes

- [Constraint](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Constraint.md) Escape: Child task violates parent safety constraints.
- Orphan Task: Task created without linkage to parent (except Root).
- Zombie Task: Task continues after its [Context](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Context.md) is invalidated.
- Ambiguous Intent: Task description admits multiple incompatible interpretations.

## Data schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "operation",
    "inputs",
    "acceptance_criteria"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "operation": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "What the Task does — the intent"
    },
    "inputs": {
      "type": "object",
      "description": "Typed inputs to the operation"
    },
    "acceptance_criteria": {
      "type": "array",
      "items": {
        "type": "string"
      },
      "description": "Conditions that mark the Task complete; closure signal for the caller"
    },
    "budget": {
      "type": "object",
      "description": "Optional resource ceiling (compute, time, tokens)"
    },
    "parent_id": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Super-task reference if hierarchical"
    },
    "deadline": {
      "type": "string",
      "format": "date-time"
    }
  }
}
```

## Builds on

- [Constraint](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Constraint.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [Context](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Context.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [Hierarchy](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Hierarchy.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [System](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/System.md) (Infrastructure; References)

## Used by

- [AgentProtocol](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/AgentProtocol.md) (Society; References)
- [Bid](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Bid.md) (Society; References)
- [BoundedTask](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/BoundedTask.md) (Society; Extends)
- [BoundedTask](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/BoundedTask.md) (Society; References)
- [ComputeBudget](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/ComputeBudget.md) (Mind; References)
- [DataMinimization](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/DataMinimization.md) (Society; References)
- [Decompose](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Decompose.md) (Mind; Accepts)
- [Defer](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Defer.md) (Mind; References)
- [Delegate](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Delegate.md) (Society; Accepts)
- [DeliberativeAlign](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/DeliberativeAlign.md) (Society; Accepts)
- [EpistemicROI](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/EpistemicROI.md) (Mind; References)
- [Estimate](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Estimate.md) (Mind; Accepts)
- [ExtendedThinking](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/ExtendedThinking.md) (Mind; Accepts)
- [FeedbackSignal](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/FeedbackSignal.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [FractalIntelligence](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/FractalIntelligence.md) (Mind; References)
- [Futurestretch](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Futurestretch.md) (Mind; References)
- [Handoff](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Handoff.md) (Society; Accepts)
- [HumanApprove](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/HumanApprove.md) (Infrastructure; Accepts)
- [LeastToMost](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/LeastToMost.md) (Mind; Accepts)
- [MetaPrompt](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/MetaPrompt.md) (Mind; References)
- [Noise](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Noise.md) (Physics; References)
- [Parallelize](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Parallelize.md) (Mind; Accepts)
- [PolymorphicSolver](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/PolymorphicSolver.md) (Mind; Accepts)
- [Prioritize](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Prioritize.md) (Mind; References)
- [Problem](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Problem.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [PromptChain](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/PromptChain.md) (Society; Accepts)
- [Proprioception](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Proprioception.md) (Mind; References)
- [Queue](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Queue.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [ReAct](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/ReAct.md) (Mind; Accepts)
- [Reflexion](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Reflexion.md) (Mind; Accepts)
- [Responsibility](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Responsibility.md) (Society; References)
- [RootSolver](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/RootSolver.md) (Mind; References)
- [Route](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Route.md) (Infrastructure; Accepts)
- [ScopeFreeze](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/ScopeFreeze.md) (Mind; References)
- [Solution](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Solution.md) (Infrastructure; Accepts)
- [Solver](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Solver.md) (Mind; Accepts)
- [SolverTree](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/SolverTree.md) (Society; Accepts)
- [SomaticMarker](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/SomaticMarker.md) (Society; References)
- [TaskLifecycle](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/TaskLifecycle.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [Throttle](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Throttle.md) (Infrastructure; Accepts)
- [ToolDiscovery](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/ToolDiscovery.md) (Society; References)
- [ToolInvoke](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/ToolInvoke.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [UptakeAsGround](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/UptakeAsGround.md) (Society; References)
- [Work](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Work.md) (Infrastructure; Composes with)
- [WorkerMode](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/WorkerMode.md) (Society; References)

## Identity

- Sema ID: `sema:Task#mh:SHA-256:a85010f508f85055170c396c8fa390125c1206888c565ac10651f3969a339f8d`
- Ref: `Task#a850`
- Supersedes:
  - `sema:Task#mh:SHA-256:d9f92106bd9cd867b1b753275d6faa37b6ea4fcbb948b283460caedfa75b6955`
  - `sema:Task#mh:SHA-256:f239278f610adea7e01a9fd019dc6be158a31919d61d301856dcbe2aa8b67804`

## Links

- [Pattern page](https://mindscape.world/bootstrap/Task/)
- [View in the interactive graph](https://mindscape.world/bootstrap/#Task)
- [JSON](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap/Task.json)
- [Index of all patterns](https://mindscape.world/scapes/bootstrap.json)