[KreutzM]

Summary

• Adds explicit repo-level Hermes multi-agent/delegation rules.
• Keeps the parent agent as owner of issue, primary branch, final integration, validation, push, PR and handoff.
• Allows autonomous delegation for genuinely separable analysis/review/implementation work while requiring parent verification of child claims and diffs.
• Requires isolated worktrees for parallel code-writing subagents when available; otherwise code integration remains sequential or delegation stays analysis-only.
• Keeps routine delegation flat (parent -> leaf) and documents the recommended runtime profile.
• Clarifies authenticated gh as the preferred local GitHub interface when available.

Issue

Closes #7

Design / Decisions

The repo policy stays model/provider independent. Runtime settings such as delegation.worktree_isolation belong in the user's ~/.hermes/config.yaml, not in .hermes.md.

Recommended runtime:

delegation:
  max_concurrent_children: 3
  worktree_isolation: true
  max_spawn_depth: 1

Subagent completion summaries are treated as evidence, not authoritative truth. Important findings must be verified by the parent and promoted into durable repo/issue/PR state when relevant.

Validation

• Documentation/policy-only scope.
• Changed repository files: .hermes.md and docs/AGENT_OPERATING_MODEL.md.
• Tracker Issue Agent-first development backlog and handoff tracker #4 updated separately to place Define Hermes multi-agent delegation policy and safe parallel work #7 before product work.
• No product, CUDA, GUI, dependency, or credential changes.
• Rules were checked against current Hermes delegation documentation: worktree isolation is opt-in, defaults to shared workspace, subagents receive fresh conversational context, default concurrency is 3, and default delegation depth is flat (max_spawn_depth: 1).

No product test suite was run because this PR changes policy/documentation only.

Remaining / Follow-ups

• Review/CI.
• Apply the recommended delegation block once to the local ~/.hermes/config.yaml; that user-level file is outside this repository and is intentionally not committed here.
• Then start Issue Improve fractal-doctor into a full installation health check #1.

Do not merge without explicit user authorization.

Handoff

Branch: agent/7-hermes-multi-agent-policy

A fresh agent should read Issue #7, .hermes.md, docs/AGENT_OPERATING_MODEL.md, and this PR, then address any review/CI feedback on the same branch.

[KreutzM]

External review completed: 0 BLOCKER / 0 MAJOR / 0 MINOR. Scope is limited to .hermes.md and docs/AGENT_OPERATING_MODEL.md. Parent ownership, safe delegation, worktree-isolation fallback behavior, flat delegation depth, repo-as-source-of-truth, and no-unapproved-main-merge rules are internally consistent. No product-code changes. Runtime note is correctly separated: delegation.worktree_isolation belongs in user-level ~/.hermes/config.yaml, not in .hermes.md. CI/status checks were not yet reported at review time.